Keeping kids interested in books is getting easier with J.K. Rowling's Harry
Potter books inspiring the highest childhood literacy rates in years, but while Harry's
great for getting kids interested, to keep ahead of aggressive class curriculums and get a
leg up on the coming year's studies, there are a few great books out there to help relieve
some work load without having to hit the text books until September.
The Fabric Of The Cosmos: Greene, Brian; Imagine a book that explains
everything you need to know about the basics of physical sciences without having to try
to understand Stephen Hawking. Explained in easy to read fashion with a lot of
examples (Bart Simpson on a skateboard to help explain Einstein's Special Relativity),
Greene manages to make the most complicated issues seem straight forward. He is a
professor of Physics at Columbia University and theoretical physicist.
Finding Darwin's God: Miller, Kenneth; For those who are interested in social
studies and biology, Miller's effort bridges the gap between religion and science arguing
that they don't have to be exclusive to them selves. He reviews the arguments that have
been put forward over the years, explaining their merits and weak points. He puts his
religious views out in the open from the outset, and explains how his faith in God isn't
challenged by the idea of evolution, but enhanced by it. Miller is a professor of Biology
at Brown University, in the Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and
Biochemistry.
A History of the World in Six Glasses: Standage, Tom; How beer, wine,
spirits, coffee, tea and Coca-Cola have shaped the empires of the world. Starting with
ancient Egypt and Greece until the present day rise of the United States, Standage shows
how those countries and periods in history were shaped by these drinks.
The Art of War: Sun Tzu; A classic guide to strategy praised by military leaders
and executives alike, The Art of War is less about war as it is about strategies with
which to approach your every day life, and realigning your perceptions with the nature of
the environment in which you find yourself, including handling opposition, and the
perfect strategy of winning without fighting.
The Art of Happiness: His Holiness the Dalai Lama with Howard C. Cutler,
M.D.; Lessons which should be learned very early in life, it provides methods of stress
relief and is a good counter balance to Sun Tzu's work. "…Happiness is our birthright
as human beings. There is no doubt that life can be difficult—living in today's world is
not always easy. But despite life's inevitable problems and challenges, genuine happiness
is still possible".
How to Read Literature Like a Professor: Foster, Thomas C.; Teaches
English students how to find those key points in a novel which teachers will be testing on
to see how well a student understands the material. It provides a break down of how to
interpret the most common symbols and meanings that teachers and professors will be
looking for.
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a
Time: Mortenson, Greg and Colin Oliver Relin; A man's story about bringing
education to underdeveloped areas in Pakistan and Afghanistan, in racially charged times
it can be important to introduce a new perspective to the world and create an
understanding of what people in other parts of the world must endure. Winner of the
2007 Kiriyama Prize for nonfiction
While these aren't the only books that should be read through the summer they are a few
that help give a good start to the new year of school.
What do You want to know Today? - Set as Home page - New every Day - Share to Facebook.
2008/10/13
School supplies and where to get them
Growing up, my grandmother taught me a very valuable lesson when it came to school
supplies. She used to take me to the local "Dollar Store" and we would spend 20 dollars
on paper, pencils, pens, erasers, etc. Bag after of bag of school supplies would be loaded
into the trunk of her car. I was embarrassed that I was buying bargain school supplies and
I remember thinking "how good can a pencil be if I can get 50 of them for a dollar".
When we would get home and the supplies would be put on a shelf in the closet she
always used to tell me that I would never need a single supply during the school year.
She was right, I never had to ask to borrow a pencil, or scramble for paper for an
assignment. My worries of having "bargain supplies" at school and being ridiculed for it
were dispelled when I realized that a pencil was a pencil. My cheap paper was the same
as the kid next to me. My grandmother taught me that my supplies were tools used to
achieve a goal and not the goal itself.
Deals on school supplies can be found anywhere and everywhere. Some of the most
common and basic ones can be found at your neighborhood "Dollar Store", by stocking
up on the essentials at these stores you are allowing for more money to be spent on
supplies like computers, calculators, etc.
With the advent of the internet, something not available when I was a kid, school
supplies can be found at lower prices than ever before. Auction sites like ebay.com and
amazon.com are great places to find gently used higher-end items at the same time
finding general school supplies in bulk for great prices. Other sites specialize in direct to
parent deals on school supplies better than those found at local office supply stores.
Utilizing the internet to find deals has never been easier.
The type of school supplies needed varies depending on the grade the student is in.
Kindergarten through fourth grade typically only the very basic supplies are needed to
succeed in class; pencils, crayons, paper, glue. Usually, these supplies are only needed
one time to last the entire school year. As the student grows older however the needs
change. Fifth grade and on the demands on a student only increase and those demands are
reflected in the tools needed to achieve good grades. The usual paper, pencils, pens,
folders, etc are still needed. On top of those though is the need for special clothing for
Physical Education, specific types of calculators depending on the math class, rulers,
reference books and even computers are all needs of the growing student.
Thankfully, the more specialized types of tools needed by students have a long life if
taken care of. Often, these tools can be passed from one student to another as needed. A
computer purchased brand new can be used by an entire family for years if maintained
and cared for. Calculators can last indefinitely if taken care of and never need to be
replaced.
Deals can be found for saving some money and stocking up on nearly all types of school
supplies, it is just a matter finding the local "Dollar Store" or searching the internet. More
expensive supplies can be used for yeas if proper care is taken of them and they are
appreciated.
supplies. She used to take me to the local "Dollar Store" and we would spend 20 dollars
on paper, pencils, pens, erasers, etc. Bag after of bag of school supplies would be loaded
into the trunk of her car. I was embarrassed that I was buying bargain school supplies and
I remember thinking "how good can a pencil be if I can get 50 of them for a dollar".
When we would get home and the supplies would be put on a shelf in the closet she
always used to tell me that I would never need a single supply during the school year.
She was right, I never had to ask to borrow a pencil, or scramble for paper for an
assignment. My worries of having "bargain supplies" at school and being ridiculed for it
were dispelled when I realized that a pencil was a pencil. My cheap paper was the same
as the kid next to me. My grandmother taught me that my supplies were tools used to
achieve a goal and not the goal itself.
Deals on school supplies can be found anywhere and everywhere. Some of the most
common and basic ones can be found at your neighborhood "Dollar Store", by stocking
up on the essentials at these stores you are allowing for more money to be spent on
supplies like computers, calculators, etc.
With the advent of the internet, something not available when I was a kid, school
supplies can be found at lower prices than ever before. Auction sites like ebay.com and
amazon.com are great places to find gently used higher-end items at the same time
finding general school supplies in bulk for great prices. Other sites specialize in direct to
parent deals on school supplies better than those found at local office supply stores.
Utilizing the internet to find deals has never been easier.
The type of school supplies needed varies depending on the grade the student is in.
Kindergarten through fourth grade typically only the very basic supplies are needed to
succeed in class; pencils, crayons, paper, glue. Usually, these supplies are only needed
one time to last the entire school year. As the student grows older however the needs
change. Fifth grade and on the demands on a student only increase and those demands are
reflected in the tools needed to achieve good grades. The usual paper, pencils, pens,
folders, etc are still needed. On top of those though is the need for special clothing for
Physical Education, specific types of calculators depending on the math class, rulers,
reference books and even computers are all needs of the growing student.
Thankfully, the more specialized types of tools needed by students have a long life if
taken care of. Often, these tools can be passed from one student to another as needed. A
computer purchased brand new can be used by an entire family for years if maintained
and cared for. Calculators can last indefinitely if taken care of and never need to be
replaced.
Deals can be found for saving some money and stocking up on nearly all types of school
supplies, it is just a matter finding the local "Dollar Store" or searching the internet. More
expensive supplies can be used for yeas if proper care is taken of them and they are
appreciated.
School Shopping on a bargain budget
It's that time of year when everyone rushes to the stores looking for the best deals for their
money and trying to stretch their budgets to get the most items. No, it's not Christmas it's back
to school time. When schools send home big lists of supplies needed for the coming year and
children make their own lists of things that they want parents start wondering how they can
afford everything that their child needs to start the school year. The answer to this age old
question that has plagued parents since the beginning of schools is actually very simple. They
need to take their time and bargain shop.
There are two times of year that are best for getting great bargains on school supplies. The first is
right after school lets out for summer break. Instead of waiting until everyone else starts doing
their shopping it's better to do your shopping during a time when noone else is thinking about
school supplies. Stores no that this is the time of year when these items don't sell very well so
this is often when they will have the best sales in an effort to remove these things from their
shelves. The other time of year for great school supply bargains is right after school starts. Stores
stock massive amounts of inventory to meet the back to school rush and most of the time have
large amounts of it left which they then mark on clearance. Instead of getting everything that you
child needs right away it ends up being much less expensive to buy enough to start the first week
with and then finish school shopping after school starts.
Another way to save money is to shop around. Instead of buying all of your child's supplies at
one store look around for a shopping area that has multiple stores and search their ad's for the
best deals each store has to offer. Normally the Sunday papers have store ads in them so it's
really easy to sit at home and plan out the most cost effective and least time consuming shopping
strategy. Don't just look at big department stores either some of the best bargains can be found
in little shops or in drugstores. What you may lose in selection you more than make up for in
price.
Discount sellers are a third source of big savings when school shopping. These stores purchase
overstock items from other larger stores and sell them at a substantial discount to their
customers. The selection isn't always as large as going to the big stores themselves and you have
to really look at things like expiration dates but if your willing to spend a little bit of time
looking around and maybe going with an off brand instead of a more recognizable one you can
save quite a bit of money.
Finally we get to the wholesale clubs. These are stores that buy their items in bulk and sell them
that way to their customer. The price per item is cheaper because you have to buy more of the
item at a time. This helps out with school shopping in two ways. First you get a better value for
the money that you spend since the price per unit is lower. The second way that it helps out is
because it allows you to stock up on your items in large amounts so that you won't have to buy
more as quickly as you would if you were buying them in regular sizes instead of bulk.
There are a lot of different ways to make school supply shopping less expensive. The ones that
each person should use depend on the individual. Each person has their own way of shopping
and their own methods that work for them. Also, not every technique is going to work in every
area a lot depends on what kind of stores that area has. The best thing to do is take the tips and
pick which ones you think will work for you.
money and trying to stretch their budgets to get the most items. No, it's not Christmas it's back
to school time. When schools send home big lists of supplies needed for the coming year and
children make their own lists of things that they want parents start wondering how they can
afford everything that their child needs to start the school year. The answer to this age old
question that has plagued parents since the beginning of schools is actually very simple. They
need to take their time and bargain shop.
There are two times of year that are best for getting great bargains on school supplies. The first is
right after school lets out for summer break. Instead of waiting until everyone else starts doing
their shopping it's better to do your shopping during a time when noone else is thinking about
school supplies. Stores no that this is the time of year when these items don't sell very well so
this is often when they will have the best sales in an effort to remove these things from their
shelves. The other time of year for great school supply bargains is right after school starts. Stores
stock massive amounts of inventory to meet the back to school rush and most of the time have
large amounts of it left which they then mark on clearance. Instead of getting everything that you
child needs right away it ends up being much less expensive to buy enough to start the first week
with and then finish school shopping after school starts.
Another way to save money is to shop around. Instead of buying all of your child's supplies at
one store look around for a shopping area that has multiple stores and search their ad's for the
best deals each store has to offer. Normally the Sunday papers have store ads in them so it's
really easy to sit at home and plan out the most cost effective and least time consuming shopping
strategy. Don't just look at big department stores either some of the best bargains can be found
in little shops or in drugstores. What you may lose in selection you more than make up for in
price.
Discount sellers are a third source of big savings when school shopping. These stores purchase
overstock items from other larger stores and sell them at a substantial discount to their
customers. The selection isn't always as large as going to the big stores themselves and you have
to really look at things like expiration dates but if your willing to spend a little bit of time
looking around and maybe going with an off brand instead of a more recognizable one you can
save quite a bit of money.
Finally we get to the wholesale clubs. These are stores that buy their items in bulk and sell them
that way to their customer. The price per item is cheaper because you have to buy more of the
item at a time. This helps out with school shopping in two ways. First you get a better value for
the money that you spend since the price per unit is lower. The second way that it helps out is
because it allows you to stock up on your items in large amounts so that you won't have to buy
more as quickly as you would if you were buying them in regular sizes instead of bulk.
There are a lot of different ways to make school supply shopping less expensive. The ones that
each person should use depend on the individual. Each person has their own way of shopping
and their own methods that work for them. Also, not every technique is going to work in every
area a lot depends on what kind of stores that area has. The best thing to do is take the tips and
pick which ones you think will work for you.
Riding the bus or driving your child to school which is better?
As summer draws to a close and the time to buckle down and start school approaches one of the
things that we need to start thinking about is how we're going to get our children to school. In
most areas that means choosing one of two options. We can either drive our children to school or
they can ride the local school bus system. Each way has it's own pros and cons so most of the
time it's a matter of personal preference. Which option is going to work the best for you and
your family?
The first and most commonly used option is for children to ride the bus to school. This has
traditionally been the way that most children get to school. This is a good option for a couple of
reasons. The first is the fact that with rising gas costs it can get extremely expensive to drive
your child to school every day. It saves you from having to take the time for the drive which can
be a plus especially in the morning when you are rushing off to your own job. There's also the
added value of them being able to spend time with friends during the bus ride which gives them
social time.
On the other hand your child riding the can have some serious disadvantages also. There's no
flexibility in the schedule so you have to have your child at the bus stop at the proper time very
morning or they won't make it on the bus. This can be hard in household where both parents
work and have to leave work every morning to go to work. There's also the fact that while
school bus drivers do their best to be safe you never know what can happen and accidents are
always possible. Add in the fact that it's only one bus driver for a whole bus of children meaning
they are not always very well supervised and it's not a situation that's right for very family and
every child.
Then there's the option of driving our children to school. This option works great for some
families especially if the school the child attends happens to be near a parents workplace. It gives
more bonding time to the parent and child by allowing them to have time together to talk both
before and after school. This leads to a greater understanding and better communication which is
always a positive thing in the parental relationship. It also helps give time to go over schedules
so that the parent knows exactly where their child is going to be at during the day.
The down sides to driving you children to school are the amount of time that it can take out of
your schedule and the cost of the gas to drive. There are some ways around those problems
though. One of the most common ways around these problems is to arrange a carpool with other
parents. Put an ad out and see if there are any parents near you that are facing the same problems
and see if maybe together you can find a solution to the problem.
There are different ways to handle the situation of having to get your child to school. It can be
difficult to figure out at first but if you take the time to think about things and research your
options you can find a good solution for your problems.
things that we need to start thinking about is how we're going to get our children to school. In
most areas that means choosing one of two options. We can either drive our children to school or
they can ride the local school bus system. Each way has it's own pros and cons so most of the
time it's a matter of personal preference. Which option is going to work the best for you and
your family?
The first and most commonly used option is for children to ride the bus to school. This has
traditionally been the way that most children get to school. This is a good option for a couple of
reasons. The first is the fact that with rising gas costs it can get extremely expensive to drive
your child to school every day. It saves you from having to take the time for the drive which can
be a plus especially in the morning when you are rushing off to your own job. There's also the
added value of them being able to spend time with friends during the bus ride which gives them
social time.
On the other hand your child riding the can have some serious disadvantages also. There's no
flexibility in the schedule so you have to have your child at the bus stop at the proper time very
morning or they won't make it on the bus. This can be hard in household where both parents
work and have to leave work every morning to go to work. There's also the fact that while
school bus drivers do their best to be safe you never know what can happen and accidents are
always possible. Add in the fact that it's only one bus driver for a whole bus of children meaning
they are not always very well supervised and it's not a situation that's right for very family and
every child.
Then there's the option of driving our children to school. This option works great for some
families especially if the school the child attends happens to be near a parents workplace. It gives
more bonding time to the parent and child by allowing them to have time together to talk both
before and after school. This leads to a greater understanding and better communication which is
always a positive thing in the parental relationship. It also helps give time to go over schedules
so that the parent knows exactly where their child is going to be at during the day.
The down sides to driving you children to school are the amount of time that it can take out of
your schedule and the cost of the gas to drive. There are some ways around those problems
though. One of the most common ways around these problems is to arrange a carpool with other
parents. Put an ad out and see if there are any parents near you that are facing the same problems
and see if maybe together you can find a solution to the problem.
There are different ways to handle the situation of having to get your child to school. It can be
difficult to figure out at first but if you take the time to think about things and research your
options you can find a good solution for your problems.
Preparing for extracurricular activities
With the beginning of the school year comes not only the rush to prepare not only for school but
also for all of those extra activities that come with the school year. With children preparing to
run off in all directions whether it be for sports, academic activities, or social events it can be
hectic to remember everything necessary to be ready for the start of the year. It's possible to do
though and as long as things are taken step by step you can be ready for the start of the year with
relatively little fuss.
The first thing to do is to start early. Leaving things to the last minute is always a bad idea but
especially bad in this case. Imagine how bad you would feel if your child couldn't participate in
something that they really wanted to because you didn't have everything ready. Starting early
also has the added benefit of beating the rush and not having to deal with massive amounts of
people all trying to get the same things that you are. Which would you prefer to do stand in line
for five minutes or for thirty?
Sit down with your children and decide what they want to participate in during the coming year.
Knowing exactly what's coming gives you a big head start on all of the planning that you need to
do not just for getting ready but also for how to get everything accomplished during the year.
Start developing a good strategy now and you'll feel much less stress when the school year
activities actually start.
Now make a list. Start with the physical things needed for each activity. Does the activity require
a lot of specialized equipment or gear? If it does is it provided by the school or is the parent
responsible for providing it? Is the equipment something you can get locally at a good price or
would you get a better deal ordering it online and waiting for it to come in. If ordering it
remember to order early and give yourself extra time in case of things like shipping delays.
Write all of the things that your child needs to have with them on the list and then check them
off as you get them so that you know exactly where you are at equipment wise.
Next on the list is the nonphysical items. This includes things like signing up for the activity and
getting physicals done. Signing up for the activity should always be done as early as possible
because some schools require sign up to be done before the previous school year ends. This also
give your child time to prepare if there is a tryout that they have to pass or a physical
requirement that they have to meet that they have to work towards. If there's a physical involved
it's best to call the doctor doing the exam as soon as possible not just to get it out of the way but
also because some offices have a long wait for appointment time and as the school year gets
closer the few available appointment slots will fill up very quickly.
Find out if there are any special requirements that your child will have to meet and help them
plan out how to meet these goals. Do they have to be a certain weight or have read certain
books? Are there things they need to study up on before the year starts? In order to be successful
at and sometimes even just to join the activity there may be things that they need to accomplish
first and we can help them by scheduling out a plan to accomplish those goals.
These are just a few things that can help get ready for the rush of the school year and the added
stress of being ready for extracurricular activities. With a little bit of planning and care we can
make it so that these activiteis are enjoyable not just for our children but for us also.
also for all of those extra activities that come with the school year. With children preparing to
run off in all directions whether it be for sports, academic activities, or social events it can be
hectic to remember everything necessary to be ready for the start of the year. It's possible to do
though and as long as things are taken step by step you can be ready for the start of the year with
relatively little fuss.
The first thing to do is to start early. Leaving things to the last minute is always a bad idea but
especially bad in this case. Imagine how bad you would feel if your child couldn't participate in
something that they really wanted to because you didn't have everything ready. Starting early
also has the added benefit of beating the rush and not having to deal with massive amounts of
people all trying to get the same things that you are. Which would you prefer to do stand in line
for five minutes or for thirty?
Sit down with your children and decide what they want to participate in during the coming year.
Knowing exactly what's coming gives you a big head start on all of the planning that you need to
do not just for getting ready but also for how to get everything accomplished during the year.
Start developing a good strategy now and you'll feel much less stress when the school year
activities actually start.
Now make a list. Start with the physical things needed for each activity. Does the activity require
a lot of specialized equipment or gear? If it does is it provided by the school or is the parent
responsible for providing it? Is the equipment something you can get locally at a good price or
would you get a better deal ordering it online and waiting for it to come in. If ordering it
remember to order early and give yourself extra time in case of things like shipping delays.
Write all of the things that your child needs to have with them on the list and then check them
off as you get them so that you know exactly where you are at equipment wise.
Next on the list is the nonphysical items. This includes things like signing up for the activity and
getting physicals done. Signing up for the activity should always be done as early as possible
because some schools require sign up to be done before the previous school year ends. This also
give your child time to prepare if there is a tryout that they have to pass or a physical
requirement that they have to meet that they have to work towards. If there's a physical involved
it's best to call the doctor doing the exam as soon as possible not just to get it out of the way but
also because some offices have a long wait for appointment time and as the school year gets
closer the few available appointment slots will fill up very quickly.
Find out if there are any special requirements that your child will have to meet and help them
plan out how to meet these goals. Do they have to be a certain weight or have read certain
books? Are there things they need to study up on before the year starts? In order to be successful
at and sometimes even just to join the activity there may be things that they need to accomplish
first and we can help them by scheduling out a plan to accomplish those goals.
These are just a few things that can help get ready for the rush of the school year and the added
stress of being ready for extracurricular activities. With a little bit of planning and care we can
make it so that these activiteis are enjoyable not just for our children but for us also.
Planning schedules around rising gas prices
One of the biggest problems that we face today is the rising gas prices and how they affect our
ability to get around. When it costs $60 or more to fill up a vehicle it starts digging into already
limited budgets and wondering where we can cut back to save money. One of the places we
don't want to cut back is our children's activities. It's important for them to have things other
than school to go to as it develops not just their social skills but also their self confidence. So,
how do we balance our children's needs against the needs of our budget? This becomes
especially important in households with more than one child involved in activities as it can
involve a lot of trips and not all of them will be on the same side of town.
The first thing that we can do is get together with other parents of children involved in the same
activities and set up carpooling. This has two values. First, it cuts down on the amount of gas
needed by any one family which can make a significant savings especially for activities that
happen every day. The secondary benefit is that it saves time since only one parent each day
would be doing the driving that allows the other parents in the carpool to focus on other tasks. It
also has the added benefit of peace of mind knowing that your child is getting to and from
meeting or practice safely. Lastly it frees up the time needed to take other children to activities if
you have a household with more than one child. The important thing to remember is that you
have to trust the people that you have the carpool arrangement with because if something comes
up and they aren't able to fulfill their agreement then your child also won't make it where they
need to go so everyone involved needs to realize the importance of the arrangement.
Another thing that can be done is to schedule other things in the same area around the same time
cutting down on the number of trips needed to get things done. For instance if your child has
football in a certain part of town and you also shop in that area do your shopping during the
practice so that you don't have to make a separate trip back. This is also another time saver and
we can always use more time in our schedules. Or, to save even more gas if your area has a
public bus system park at the activity and take the bus to run your errands or do your shopping.
This takes a little bit of planning and learning the bus schedule but it is a great way to save gas
and still get all your tasks accomplished.
It's possible to still lead a full active life and still take your budget into consideration. It may
involve a little bit of planning on your part and maybe even a little bit of trust in other people but
it still very doable and you'll be able to see the money saving results immediately. It's important
to remember though that things won't always go as planned and sometimes we have to have
back up plans and a little bit of flexibility for when those little delays pop up.
ability to get around. When it costs $60 or more to fill up a vehicle it starts digging into already
limited budgets and wondering where we can cut back to save money. One of the places we
don't want to cut back is our children's activities. It's important for them to have things other
than school to go to as it develops not just their social skills but also their self confidence. So,
how do we balance our children's needs against the needs of our budget? This becomes
especially important in households with more than one child involved in activities as it can
involve a lot of trips and not all of them will be on the same side of town.
The first thing that we can do is get together with other parents of children involved in the same
activities and set up carpooling. This has two values. First, it cuts down on the amount of gas
needed by any one family which can make a significant savings especially for activities that
happen every day. The secondary benefit is that it saves time since only one parent each day
would be doing the driving that allows the other parents in the carpool to focus on other tasks. It
also has the added benefit of peace of mind knowing that your child is getting to and from
meeting or practice safely. Lastly it frees up the time needed to take other children to activities if
you have a household with more than one child. The important thing to remember is that you
have to trust the people that you have the carpool arrangement with because if something comes
up and they aren't able to fulfill their agreement then your child also won't make it where they
need to go so everyone involved needs to realize the importance of the arrangement.
Another thing that can be done is to schedule other things in the same area around the same time
cutting down on the number of trips needed to get things done. For instance if your child has
football in a certain part of town and you also shop in that area do your shopping during the
practice so that you don't have to make a separate trip back. This is also another time saver and
we can always use more time in our schedules. Or, to save even more gas if your area has a
public bus system park at the activity and take the bus to run your errands or do your shopping.
This takes a little bit of planning and learning the bus schedule but it is a great way to save gas
and still get all your tasks accomplished.
It's possible to still lead a full active life and still take your budget into consideration. It may
involve a little bit of planning on your part and maybe even a little bit of trust in other people but
it still very doable and you'll be able to see the money saving results immediately. It's important
to remember though that things won't always go as planned and sometimes we have to have
back up plans and a little bit of flexibility for when those little delays pop up.
Organizing Your Workspace
One of the most important things for a student to have is their own devoted workspace;
an environment where they can go and write or study without too much interruption. This
allows them to focus solely on the tasks that they need to accomplish and not get
distracted by the things around them. The study area should be different for each student
according to their particular study habits (or lack of them) but there are a few points that
are essential.
1. Have everything you need available. This could be the most important part in
having a really effective and efficient desk. In order to be really effective,
minimize the chances of having to get up every half hour to go looking for a ruler,
pencil or book. It helps maintain a train of thought, while at the same time
reducing the "settling back in" period. When I was studying or writing papers, I
always found it helpful to be have tools like a compass, office supplies and
something to snack on the right hand side of my desk, with books and reference
materials on the left, or above my monitor. This helped keep me focused because
I knew where everything was, and could reach and locate the tools I needed
without having to look away from what I was doing.
2. Avoid clutter. While post it notes are great, they can be far too distracting if your
monitor or desk top is covered with "to do" lists. It can just get overwhelming,
and lead to feeling like you need more breaks to get a handle on things. If you
see a pile of work that needs to be done, the most typical reaction is to rush
through everything and things end up falling through the cracks. Keep
assignments and tasks out of view in a drawer or inbox. As they're completed,
the sense of satisfaction when moving them into the "completed" pile helps
motivate while keeping the feeling of having too much to do at a minimum.
3. I always found it helpful to have a small coffee pot or kettle next to my desk. The
two cup coffee pots are ideal for a quick boost, and you don't have to get away
from your work to take a bit of a break when you've earned it. The new Tassimo
coffee pots are ideal because they have everything you need built right in and can
make single serving coffee or cappuccino for a quick boost.
4. Minimize entertainment. There was no TV near my desk, and I kept a separate
computer for my school work. No music or other media were on that machine, so
that I could concentrate. If I wanted music, I would load up my MP3 player
before hand and take it with me to my desk. It can be a useful study aid to listen
to music while preparing for exams and tests depending on how you absorb
material.
5. It can be good to have a plant or fish bowl near your desk. Many professors and
teachers have recommended having something that can encourage a more tranquil
environment which aids in focusing on the subject at hand. Beta fish are always a
popular choice, because of their slow tranquil movements. Similarly, a potted
plant can help in much the same way. Something lush and green can have a very
soothing effect on what can otherwise be a very stressful setting.
Good study and work habits are mostly based on creating a positive, focused
environment with minimal distractions. The ability to focus on the task at hand,
reducing excuses for leaving the area, and create an organized method of handling the
tasks that need to be accomplished are always sure fire ways to make sure that you're
accomplishing your goals to the best of your ability and using your time effectively.
The ability to use time effectively can make or break a student's academic career and
sets the tone for future endeavors.
an environment where they can go and write or study without too much interruption. This
allows them to focus solely on the tasks that they need to accomplish and not get
distracted by the things around them. The study area should be different for each student
according to their particular study habits (or lack of them) but there are a few points that
are essential.
1. Have everything you need available. This could be the most important part in
having a really effective and efficient desk. In order to be really effective,
minimize the chances of having to get up every half hour to go looking for a ruler,
pencil or book. It helps maintain a train of thought, while at the same time
reducing the "settling back in" period. When I was studying or writing papers, I
always found it helpful to be have tools like a compass, office supplies and
something to snack on the right hand side of my desk, with books and reference
materials on the left, or above my monitor. This helped keep me focused because
I knew where everything was, and could reach and locate the tools I needed
without having to look away from what I was doing.
2. Avoid clutter. While post it notes are great, they can be far too distracting if your
monitor or desk top is covered with "to do" lists. It can just get overwhelming,
and lead to feeling like you need more breaks to get a handle on things. If you
see a pile of work that needs to be done, the most typical reaction is to rush
through everything and things end up falling through the cracks. Keep
assignments and tasks out of view in a drawer or inbox. As they're completed,
the sense of satisfaction when moving them into the "completed" pile helps
motivate while keeping the feeling of having too much to do at a minimum.
3. I always found it helpful to have a small coffee pot or kettle next to my desk. The
two cup coffee pots are ideal for a quick boost, and you don't have to get away
from your work to take a bit of a break when you've earned it. The new Tassimo
coffee pots are ideal because they have everything you need built right in and can
make single serving coffee or cappuccino for a quick boost.
4. Minimize entertainment. There was no TV near my desk, and I kept a separate
computer for my school work. No music or other media were on that machine, so
that I could concentrate. If I wanted music, I would load up my MP3 player
before hand and take it with me to my desk. It can be a useful study aid to listen
to music while preparing for exams and tests depending on how you absorb
material.
5. It can be good to have a plant or fish bowl near your desk. Many professors and
teachers have recommended having something that can encourage a more tranquil
environment which aids in focusing on the subject at hand. Beta fish are always a
popular choice, because of their slow tranquil movements. Similarly, a potted
plant can help in much the same way. Something lush and green can have a very
soothing effect on what can otherwise be a very stressful setting.
Good study and work habits are mostly based on creating a positive, focused
environment with minimal distractions. The ability to focus on the task at hand,
reducing excuses for leaving the area, and create an organized method of handling the
tasks that need to be accomplished are always sure fire ways to make sure that you're
accomplishing your goals to the best of your ability and using your time effectively.
The ability to use time effectively can make or break a student's academic career and
sets the tone for future endeavors.
Making the transition from summer into the new school year
As school time rolls around and we get ready for school to start there can be some rough times as
we prepare our children to start their new schedules. Summer is vacation time and it's easy to
forget that at the end of that fun time school will be starting back up. It's hard for both parents
and children to get back into the school mode after a few months of vacation but there are things
that we can do to make the transition just a little bit easier on all parties.
One thing that we can do to make that transition a little bit easier is to not totally abandon the
school schedule during the summer months. The tendency is to throw schedules completely out
the window during summer and let children stay up late and sleep in during the mornings since
they don't have to get up for school. This can make it much harder to get your child ready for
school when the time comes to start the new year. We can handle this a couple of different ways.
We can start getting ready for school a month early and put them back on their schedules so that
by the time school actually starts they are prepared for the bed and rise times of the school year.
Don't forget that it takes 30 days to develop new habits so be sure to start early enough for the
new schedule to really take hold. Another option is to keep pretty close to your school schedule
even during the summer and only vary it a little bit. Letting your child stay up an hour or two
later gives a little variation to their schedule compared to the school year but not so much that
they have serious difficulties when school starts back up.
A summer reading list can also help the transition between summer and the school year. By
giving them something school related to do during the summer you keep school in their mind
and keep them learning so that it's not such a big hardship to go back to school. Along with
reading lists are supplemental worksheets. Giving them sheets of work from the previous school
year keeps things fresh in their minds so that they are not forgetting things and having to relearn
them when school starts back up.
Keep a calendar put up with the date school starts back up clearly marked. Let your child mark
off each day so that they can see how close school is to starting again. This gives them time to
get adjusted and keeps school on their mind so that they aren't caught unprepared by the return
of school. While your marking days on the calender mark in the days you plan on doing your
school shopping and keep a list nearby so that as you or your child think of things that will be
needed for the upcoming year this will help make sure that you remember everything when it's
shopping time.
There's no reason that making the transition from summer to school time has to be a hard thing.
We can do things that will make for a smoother transition for both us as parents and our children.
This smoothness help get the school year off to a good start.
we prepare our children to start their new schedules. Summer is vacation time and it's easy to
forget that at the end of that fun time school will be starting back up. It's hard for both parents
and children to get back into the school mode after a few months of vacation but there are things
that we can do to make the transition just a little bit easier on all parties.
One thing that we can do to make that transition a little bit easier is to not totally abandon the
school schedule during the summer months. The tendency is to throw schedules completely out
the window during summer and let children stay up late and sleep in during the mornings since
they don't have to get up for school. This can make it much harder to get your child ready for
school when the time comes to start the new year. We can handle this a couple of different ways.
We can start getting ready for school a month early and put them back on their schedules so that
by the time school actually starts they are prepared for the bed and rise times of the school year.
Don't forget that it takes 30 days to develop new habits so be sure to start early enough for the
new schedule to really take hold. Another option is to keep pretty close to your school schedule
even during the summer and only vary it a little bit. Letting your child stay up an hour or two
later gives a little variation to their schedule compared to the school year but not so much that
they have serious difficulties when school starts back up.
A summer reading list can also help the transition between summer and the school year. By
giving them something school related to do during the summer you keep school in their mind
and keep them learning so that it's not such a big hardship to go back to school. Along with
reading lists are supplemental worksheets. Giving them sheets of work from the previous school
year keeps things fresh in their minds so that they are not forgetting things and having to relearn
them when school starts back up.
Keep a calendar put up with the date school starts back up clearly marked. Let your child mark
off each day so that they can see how close school is to starting again. This gives them time to
get adjusted and keeps school on their mind so that they aren't caught unprepared by the return
of school. While your marking days on the calender mark in the days you plan on doing your
school shopping and keep a list nearby so that as you or your child think of things that will be
needed for the upcoming year this will help make sure that you remember everything when it's
shopping time.
There's no reason that making the transition from summer to school time has to be a hard thing.
We can do things that will make for a smoother transition for both us as parents and our children.
This smoothness help get the school year off to a good start.
Internet Safety
The internet has become a great resource for children doing school work but at the same time
there's a wide world of danger that lurks online. The anonymity of talking online gives predators
a greater access to unsuspecting children who are trusting enough to believe that people are who
they claim to be. Also, there are many things that can be found online that may not be
appropriate for children of a young age to view. As parents we need to do our best to protect our
children from these predators without completely cutting them off and denying them access to
this wonderful resource.
The method of internet protection that is best to use depends a lot on the age of the child using
the internet. A young child needs more protection from inappropriate websites than anything else
because that is the greatest danger to them. A young child isn't as likely to be on social
networking sites or using messenger systems so a simple program that prevents access to adult
content is often enough protection.
There are several programs available that can handle this and they come in a range of prices with
a wide variety of available features. This type of protection has become so common that parental
controls now come packaged with the newest operating systems from both Mac and Windows.
This is great for parents because most new computers come with the new operating systems
already pre-installed and this gives instant access to these parental control features saving both
the time of looking for the right program and the expense of buying a separate one.
As your child gets older and starts using more areas of the internet the danger becomes greater.
They become more involved with social networking sites like the ever popular Myspace and
come in contact with more and more people. It's impossible for a parent to be looking over their
shoulder every minute of every day to monitor what they are looking at and who they are talking
to so it's important to find a program that takes this into account. A simple access blocking
program doesn't work as well at this point because there needs to be the flexibility of allowing
them to express themselves but also protect them.
The best programs in this case are the ones that not only block access to certain types of sites but
also monitor all computer usage including messengers. These programs have a lot more options
than the simple access blocking. They range from simple monitoring logs that are stored on the
computer to complex key logging programs that track every keystroke made on the computer
and allow remote access from another computer so that you can see exactly what is being done
on the logged computer at any given time. Which program is the best is really a matter of
preference more than anything else.
As you can see there are a few different software options to help protect your child online but the
best safety feature of all is open communication. Taking the time to sit down with your child and
explain why it's not safe to talk to strangers or why certain sites shouldn't be looked at by young
people can quite often alleviate any problems and at the same time give the parent a little peace
of mind.
there's a wide world of danger that lurks online. The anonymity of talking online gives predators
a greater access to unsuspecting children who are trusting enough to believe that people are who
they claim to be. Also, there are many things that can be found online that may not be
appropriate for children of a young age to view. As parents we need to do our best to protect our
children from these predators without completely cutting them off and denying them access to
this wonderful resource.
The method of internet protection that is best to use depends a lot on the age of the child using
the internet. A young child needs more protection from inappropriate websites than anything else
because that is the greatest danger to them. A young child isn't as likely to be on social
networking sites or using messenger systems so a simple program that prevents access to adult
content is often enough protection.
There are several programs available that can handle this and they come in a range of prices with
a wide variety of available features. This type of protection has become so common that parental
controls now come packaged with the newest operating systems from both Mac and Windows.
This is great for parents because most new computers come with the new operating systems
already pre-installed and this gives instant access to these parental control features saving both
the time of looking for the right program and the expense of buying a separate one.
As your child gets older and starts using more areas of the internet the danger becomes greater.
They become more involved with social networking sites like the ever popular Myspace and
come in contact with more and more people. It's impossible for a parent to be looking over their
shoulder every minute of every day to monitor what they are looking at and who they are talking
to so it's important to find a program that takes this into account. A simple access blocking
program doesn't work as well at this point because there needs to be the flexibility of allowing
them to express themselves but also protect them.
The best programs in this case are the ones that not only block access to certain types of sites but
also monitor all computer usage including messengers. These programs have a lot more options
than the simple access blocking. They range from simple monitoring logs that are stored on the
computer to complex key logging programs that track every keystroke made on the computer
and allow remote access from another computer so that you can see exactly what is being done
on the logged computer at any given time. Which program is the best is really a matter of
preference more than anything else.
As you can see there are a few different software options to help protect your child online but the
best safety feature of all is open communication. Taking the time to sit down with your child and
explain why it's not safe to talk to strangers or why certain sites shouldn't be looked at by young
people can quite often alleviate any problems and at the same time give the parent a little peace
of mind.
How to shop for clothing with a teen
As our children grow older and move from pre-teen into teen it becomes harder and harder to
keep up with the trends in teen fashion. Every season things change as celebrity's show off their
personal style and influence trends or as designers bring out new lines that may or may not blend
with pieces from the season before. It's kind of like walking in a maze trying to find your way
around teen fashion. On one hand you want your teen to be happy and want them to be able to
dress in a fashionable manner but, on the other hand you also want to encourage your teen to
find their own style instead of just blindly following trends. It's possible to walk a balance
between both of these options it just takes a little bit of time and effort.
The first thing to do is a little bit of research. Go online and look or look at magazines, either
will work just fine to give you an idea of what is becoming popular in teen clothing and
accessories. After looking around for a bit then it's time to go through what you have found and
decide what is truly appropriate for your child. There are some things that are popular that may
not be all the good for your child to wear especially to school. The first thing that comes to mind
is the ultra short mini skirt. While immensely fashionable right now it's not necessarily
something that we want to see our teen wear out of the house.
The next step is to help your teen decide what styles are going to look good on them. Not
everyone is the same shape and not all styles of clothing look good on all body types. It's never
to early to teach your teen how to dress in clothing styles that are flattering to them and wearing
flattering clothing can have a very positive impact on their self esteem. This is also a good time
to take your measurements. Clothing sizes vary from manufacturer to manufacturer so it's very
useful to have actual measurements with you so that you can start out by picking the right size.
Next up is the trip to your teens closet. This is one of the most important steps. By going through
your teens closet you get a good idea of what they already have so that you don't buy something
that is very similar to a piece already owned. Most of the time items from last season can still be
worn with the addition of a new accessory or accent piece of clothing. This is also a good time to
get an idea of what type of clothing your teen likes and wants to wear. The items that get worn
the most are the ones that they like the best.
Then comes the trip to the store which can be the hardest part. It's easy to get overwhelmed by
the amount of choices available and because of this make bad decisions about which clothes to
buy. Start out by going shopping on a day when you have plenty of time and don't have to feel
rushed. It also helps to have an idea of how many of each type of item you'll be needing to buy.
Be prepared to let your teen take the lead in the shopping with you gently bringing them back
into focus or giving them needed guidance. By letting them do most of the choosing your giving
them a chance to develop their own style. You shouldn't be a afraid to step in though if they start
getting off track, but I would suggest doing so in a tactful way so as not to create tension or
arguments during the shopping trip. Instead of just saying no to an item it's often better to offer
an alternative instead.
All of these things used together or used separately as the situation warrants should flow together
to help create a school shopping trip that's both stress free and enjoyable. After all this is a good
time for parent teen bonding as well as for getting those fashion necessities.
keep up with the trends in teen fashion. Every season things change as celebrity's show off their
personal style and influence trends or as designers bring out new lines that may or may not blend
with pieces from the season before. It's kind of like walking in a maze trying to find your way
around teen fashion. On one hand you want your teen to be happy and want them to be able to
dress in a fashionable manner but, on the other hand you also want to encourage your teen to
find their own style instead of just blindly following trends. It's possible to walk a balance
between both of these options it just takes a little bit of time and effort.
The first thing to do is a little bit of research. Go online and look or look at magazines, either
will work just fine to give you an idea of what is becoming popular in teen clothing and
accessories. After looking around for a bit then it's time to go through what you have found and
decide what is truly appropriate for your child. There are some things that are popular that may
not be all the good for your child to wear especially to school. The first thing that comes to mind
is the ultra short mini skirt. While immensely fashionable right now it's not necessarily
something that we want to see our teen wear out of the house.
The next step is to help your teen decide what styles are going to look good on them. Not
everyone is the same shape and not all styles of clothing look good on all body types. It's never
to early to teach your teen how to dress in clothing styles that are flattering to them and wearing
flattering clothing can have a very positive impact on their self esteem. This is also a good time
to take your measurements. Clothing sizes vary from manufacturer to manufacturer so it's very
useful to have actual measurements with you so that you can start out by picking the right size.
Next up is the trip to your teens closet. This is one of the most important steps. By going through
your teens closet you get a good idea of what they already have so that you don't buy something
that is very similar to a piece already owned. Most of the time items from last season can still be
worn with the addition of a new accessory or accent piece of clothing. This is also a good time to
get an idea of what type of clothing your teen likes and wants to wear. The items that get worn
the most are the ones that they like the best.
Then comes the trip to the store which can be the hardest part. It's easy to get overwhelmed by
the amount of choices available and because of this make bad decisions about which clothes to
buy. Start out by going shopping on a day when you have plenty of time and don't have to feel
rushed. It also helps to have an idea of how many of each type of item you'll be needing to buy.
Be prepared to let your teen take the lead in the shopping with you gently bringing them back
into focus or giving them needed guidance. By letting them do most of the choosing your giving
them a chance to develop their own style. You shouldn't be a afraid to step in though if they start
getting off track, but I would suggest doing so in a tactful way so as not to create tension or
arguments during the shopping trip. Instead of just saying no to an item it's often better to offer
an alternative instead.
All of these things used together or used separately as the situation warrants should flow together
to help create a school shopping trip that's both stress free and enjoyable. After all this is a good
time for parent teen bonding as well as for getting those fashion necessities.
How to get kids out the door quicker in the morning
Morning is the most hectic time of the day for most families. There's always a rush to get
everyone out the door on time with the things that they need to start the day. This provides and
especially big challenge to families with children in school. Once they leave for the day there
normally isn't a way for them to rush back for anything that's forgotten so everything needs to
be handled in the morning before they leave. There are a few things that can be done to make the
morning go smoother with much less stress.
Start by getting clothes together the night before. Instead of waiting until the morning to pick out
the outfit for the day go into the closet the night before and pick out clothes for the next day.
Sitting them on top of the dresser or night stand leave them easily accessible for dressing the
next morning. They can also be hung from a door knob if it's an outfit that wrinkles easily.
Speaking of wrinkles while your picking out clothing in the evening iron anything that needs to
be ironed so that it's completely ready for the next day. Along with the outfits come shoes. Pick
out the shoes that match the outfit and sit them next to the door you leave by so that they only
have to be slipped on in the morning on the way out of the house. The last thing with outfits is
any accessories that are to be worn with the clothing. Sit these next to or near the outfit so that
they are easy to grab while getting ready.
Next is homework or any other supplies needed for the day. The night before when homework is
finished look it over and place into a folder specifically designated for returning this work to
school. This keeps it all in one place ready to and makes sure that assignments are done on time
and returned to school. Place the folder in your child's book bag so that it's all ready to go and
there's no looking for it. Ask your child about any special items that they may need for the day
and how well they are stocked up on basic items already at school. If there's anything that they
need to bring place this in the bag with the folder of homework so that it's all ready to go.
Now you can prepare for the next morning's breakfast. Breakfast is one of the most important
times of the day and while it's tempting to skip it in the interest of saving time it's important not
to as it builds a good foundation to start the day with. You can get things ready the night before
though so that breakfast becomes quicker in the morning. For instance if you have cereal for
breakfast in the morning pull out the bowls, spoons, and cereal and sit them on the table so that
they are ready to be used. That way you save time by being ready to eat and only having to pull
out the milk. Quick meals like frozen waffles are also a time saver as they only require just a few
minutes in a microwave or toaster and can be eaten quickly before heading out the door.
If your child takes a lunch to school why not prepare this the night before also? It's much better
to take the time in the evening when you aren't feeling rushed to prepare it and the sit it in the
refrigerator already in it's bag so that all your child has to do in the morning is grab it and head
out the door.
Using all of these tips or even just using some of them will help not only save time in the
morning but will also result in less morning stress. It's much easier to get going for the day when
everything is all laid out and we're not having to rush and find things.
everyone out the door on time with the things that they need to start the day. This provides and
especially big challenge to families with children in school. Once they leave for the day there
normally isn't a way for them to rush back for anything that's forgotten so everything needs to
be handled in the morning before they leave. There are a few things that can be done to make the
morning go smoother with much less stress.
Start by getting clothes together the night before. Instead of waiting until the morning to pick out
the outfit for the day go into the closet the night before and pick out clothes for the next day.
Sitting them on top of the dresser or night stand leave them easily accessible for dressing the
next morning. They can also be hung from a door knob if it's an outfit that wrinkles easily.
Speaking of wrinkles while your picking out clothing in the evening iron anything that needs to
be ironed so that it's completely ready for the next day. Along with the outfits come shoes. Pick
out the shoes that match the outfit and sit them next to the door you leave by so that they only
have to be slipped on in the morning on the way out of the house. The last thing with outfits is
any accessories that are to be worn with the clothing. Sit these next to or near the outfit so that
they are easy to grab while getting ready.
Next is homework or any other supplies needed for the day. The night before when homework is
finished look it over and place into a folder specifically designated for returning this work to
school. This keeps it all in one place ready to and makes sure that assignments are done on time
and returned to school. Place the folder in your child's book bag so that it's all ready to go and
there's no looking for it. Ask your child about any special items that they may need for the day
and how well they are stocked up on basic items already at school. If there's anything that they
need to bring place this in the bag with the folder of homework so that it's all ready to go.
Now you can prepare for the next morning's breakfast. Breakfast is one of the most important
times of the day and while it's tempting to skip it in the interest of saving time it's important not
to as it builds a good foundation to start the day with. You can get things ready the night before
though so that breakfast becomes quicker in the morning. For instance if you have cereal for
breakfast in the morning pull out the bowls, spoons, and cereal and sit them on the table so that
they are ready to be used. That way you save time by being ready to eat and only having to pull
out the milk. Quick meals like frozen waffles are also a time saver as they only require just a few
minutes in a microwave or toaster and can be eaten quickly before heading out the door.
If your child takes a lunch to school why not prepare this the night before also? It's much better
to take the time in the evening when you aren't feeling rushed to prepare it and the sit it in the
refrigerator already in it's bag so that all your child has to do in the morning is grab it and head
out the door.
Using all of these tips or even just using some of them will help not only save time in the
morning but will also result in less morning stress. It's much easier to get going for the day when
everything is all laid out and we're not having to rush and find things.
How to buy a computer
Buying a computer can be a very stressful and expensive endeavor, computer technology
improves at an astoundingly fast rate making a new computer seem obsolete within months. This
leads to a lot of frustration when picking out a new computer. It doesn't have to be all that
badand can actually be a lot of fun. By taking the time to do your research and giving yourself a
good plan you can take most of the stress out of it if not the expense.
The first thing you need to do is decide what your going to be doing with the computer in
question. Are you making documents, editing pictures, or doing homework? Perhaps it's a
combination of all three. What about online or PC based gaming? Will you be doing any of that?
Is the computer going to stay in just one place or will you need to be able to take it with you?
How many people are going to be using the computer? These are all questions that should be
asked before you even start your shopping for a computer.
Once you decide what your going to be using it for then you can start figuring out what kind of
computer you need to get. This is a big decision to make because buying a computer can be a
considerable investment so some thought should go into this step. It wouldn't be good to buy one
on the spur of the moment only to get it home and a couple of weeks later discover that it's not
what we need or want.
Laptops are popular choice due to their ease of movement and the ability to take them with us
wherever we need to go. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and weights which gives them
great versatility. The latest trend in laptops is for very thin and light notebooks that can easily be
carried in a small bag. These are great for people who spend a lot of time on the go and want
something to take with them that's small and not very heavy. The downside to laptops is that
they are often more delicate than a bigger desktop system and aren't a very good choice for
younger children. It's far too easy for a younger child to knock one off a desk or drop it and that
can damage both the system itself and the screen sometimes permanently requiring a totally new
machine to replace them.
Desktop systems are a classic choice and are a good fit for most families. Each year the desktop
gets smaller and smaller allowing for them to fit into smaller spaces while still retaining the
durability of a desktop system. There's also a wide variety of monitors and accessories allowing
for a complete customization of the desktop system to completely fit the look and function that
you may need. Some of the accessories available now include wireless cards, keyboards, and
mice which allows for a computer setup without having to worry about all the wires getting
twisted and making a mess. If you want to get fancy and have a system that looks good as well
as works good there's also various packages you can get with special decals and lighting to make
a fashion statement with. Really when it comes to desktops there's no limit to the things you can
do.
Now for the actual buying of the computer. There's a couple of different ways to go about
purchasing your computer once you have decided what you want. You can go directly to the
manufacturer as most big computer companies have the option to order direct and customize
your system to exactly what you want. Most of the time they have special pricing that you can
only get through them. For a less customized and more standard system you can go through
many different stores. Most major electronics chains carry different computers and all you have
to do is look and see if they have what you are looking for. Do a little bit of comparison
shopping and you can find some great deals.
There's a lot to consider when buying a computer because it is a major purchase but utilizing
some basic tips will make the experience a lot more enjoyable for you. With the vast amount of
technology available out there you might even have fun.
improves at an astoundingly fast rate making a new computer seem obsolete within months. This
leads to a lot of frustration when picking out a new computer. It doesn't have to be all that
badand can actually be a lot of fun. By taking the time to do your research and giving yourself a
good plan you can take most of the stress out of it if not the expense.
The first thing you need to do is decide what your going to be doing with the computer in
question. Are you making documents, editing pictures, or doing homework? Perhaps it's a
combination of all three. What about online or PC based gaming? Will you be doing any of that?
Is the computer going to stay in just one place or will you need to be able to take it with you?
How many people are going to be using the computer? These are all questions that should be
asked before you even start your shopping for a computer.
Once you decide what your going to be using it for then you can start figuring out what kind of
computer you need to get. This is a big decision to make because buying a computer can be a
considerable investment so some thought should go into this step. It wouldn't be good to buy one
on the spur of the moment only to get it home and a couple of weeks later discover that it's not
what we need or want.
Laptops are popular choice due to their ease of movement and the ability to take them with us
wherever we need to go. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and weights which gives them
great versatility. The latest trend in laptops is for very thin and light notebooks that can easily be
carried in a small bag. These are great for people who spend a lot of time on the go and want
something to take with them that's small and not very heavy. The downside to laptops is that
they are often more delicate than a bigger desktop system and aren't a very good choice for
younger children. It's far too easy for a younger child to knock one off a desk or drop it and that
can damage both the system itself and the screen sometimes permanently requiring a totally new
machine to replace them.
Desktop systems are a classic choice and are a good fit for most families. Each year the desktop
gets smaller and smaller allowing for them to fit into smaller spaces while still retaining the
durability of a desktop system. There's also a wide variety of monitors and accessories allowing
for a complete customization of the desktop system to completely fit the look and function that
you may need. Some of the accessories available now include wireless cards, keyboards, and
mice which allows for a computer setup without having to worry about all the wires getting
twisted and making a mess. If you want to get fancy and have a system that looks good as well
as works good there's also various packages you can get with special decals and lighting to make
a fashion statement with. Really when it comes to desktops there's no limit to the things you can
do.
Now for the actual buying of the computer. There's a couple of different ways to go about
purchasing your computer once you have decided what you want. You can go directly to the
manufacturer as most big computer companies have the option to order direct and customize
your system to exactly what you want. Most of the time they have special pricing that you can
only get through them. For a less customized and more standard system you can go through
many different stores. Most major electronics chains carry different computers and all you have
to do is look and see if they have what you are looking for. Do a little bit of comparison
shopping and you can find some great deals.
There's a lot to consider when buying a computer because it is a major purchase but utilizing
some basic tips will make the experience a lot more enjoyable for you. With the vast amount of
technology available out there you might even have fun.
Helping your child pick the best extracurricular activities
With the wide variety of extracurricular activities available at most school what's the best way to
pick which ones for your child to participate in? Which ones are they going to get the most out
of both on a fun level and on a looking towards the future level? Should we let our children
choose their activities strictly on their own or should we offer our own input and guidance?
These are the kinds of questions that we ask ourselves as parents when our children start being
old enough to participate in activities outside of school. The answers to these questions can have
a long lasting impact on how our children develop and should be taken very seriously.
It's very hard not to step in and take the decision completely out of our children's hands after all
we're the parent and think that we must know better due to our much vaster experience and
knowledge. However, this is not always the best solution and can lead to great resentment and
poor performance in the activity from the child involved. A much better approach is to be
involved in the decision making process giving guidance and advice but also letting the child
have the major say in the issue. After all it's them that will participating in the activity not us.
Start by contacting the school and finding out what activities are available at your child age and
grade level and what's necessary to participate. This is an important first step because your child
may not be aware of all the things that are offered at their school. It might surprise you exactly
how much variety is available and can be a bit intimidating but remember that your child won't
be participating in all of the activities only the ones that they choose and you agree to.
Next sit down with your child and ask them what activities they are interested in. Have the list of
activities with you during this conversation so that they can see what exactly is available and
what is involved with each. This will help them make a more informed decision. Talk about the
pros and cons of each activity and exactly how much time each one will take. It's also important
to talk about the amount of commitment required so that they understand the seriousness of
signing up especially for team activities where the members count on each other. Don't scare
them away from the activity but make sure they know all the things involved.
Once you've looked over all the activities it's time to start narrowing down the list. There are
going to be some activities that your child has absolutely no interest in and it's best to get those
out of the way before continuing. Once you have a smaller list it's much easier to go through and
decide which ones to participate in. One way to narrow the list further is to ask your child to rate
how interested they are in each activity and then narrow the list down again by removing the
ones that they are only kind of interested in. This should hopefully make your list much smaller
and easier to manage. Go through it again and talk about each activity and why they want to
participate. Try to gauge which activities they really seem the most excited about and narrow the
list down to those activities.
Now it's time to figure out which activities your child will have the time to participate in. Take a
sheet of paper and make a schedule of the week marking out the time that is spent in school.
Look at what's left and this is the time available for extra curricular activities. Ask you child
how much of this time they want to devote to activities and remind them that if they fill their
schedule too much they won't have any free time. Debate the merits of each one with them but
in the end it's going to depend on what they think they can handle and what you think they can
handle. Try to reach a compromise.
At the end you have a schedule of activities that should be possible for your child to participate
in and still have time for homework and rest. Make sure to watch out for overloaded schedules
but other than that follow your child's lead .
pick which ones for your child to participate in? Which ones are they going to get the most out
of both on a fun level and on a looking towards the future level? Should we let our children
choose their activities strictly on their own or should we offer our own input and guidance?
These are the kinds of questions that we ask ourselves as parents when our children start being
old enough to participate in activities outside of school. The answers to these questions can have
a long lasting impact on how our children develop and should be taken very seriously.
It's very hard not to step in and take the decision completely out of our children's hands after all
we're the parent and think that we must know better due to our much vaster experience and
knowledge. However, this is not always the best solution and can lead to great resentment and
poor performance in the activity from the child involved. A much better approach is to be
involved in the decision making process giving guidance and advice but also letting the child
have the major say in the issue. After all it's them that will participating in the activity not us.
Start by contacting the school and finding out what activities are available at your child age and
grade level and what's necessary to participate. This is an important first step because your child
may not be aware of all the things that are offered at their school. It might surprise you exactly
how much variety is available and can be a bit intimidating but remember that your child won't
be participating in all of the activities only the ones that they choose and you agree to.
Next sit down with your child and ask them what activities they are interested in. Have the list of
activities with you during this conversation so that they can see what exactly is available and
what is involved with each. This will help them make a more informed decision. Talk about the
pros and cons of each activity and exactly how much time each one will take. It's also important
to talk about the amount of commitment required so that they understand the seriousness of
signing up especially for team activities where the members count on each other. Don't scare
them away from the activity but make sure they know all the things involved.
Once you've looked over all the activities it's time to start narrowing down the list. There are
going to be some activities that your child has absolutely no interest in and it's best to get those
out of the way before continuing. Once you have a smaller list it's much easier to go through and
decide which ones to participate in. One way to narrow the list further is to ask your child to rate
how interested they are in each activity and then narrow the list down again by removing the
ones that they are only kind of interested in. This should hopefully make your list much smaller
and easier to manage. Go through it again and talk about each activity and why they want to
participate. Try to gauge which activities they really seem the most excited about and narrow the
list down to those activities.
Now it's time to figure out which activities your child will have the time to participate in. Take a
sheet of paper and make a schedule of the week marking out the time that is spent in school.
Look at what's left and this is the time available for extra curricular activities. Ask you child
how much of this time they want to devote to activities and remind them that if they fill their
schedule too much they won't have any free time. Debate the merits of each one with them but
in the end it's going to depend on what they think they can handle and what you think they can
handle. Try to reach a compromise.
At the end you have a schedule of activities that should be possible for your child to participate
in and still have time for homework and rest. Make sure to watch out for overloaded schedules
but other than that follow your child's lead .
Current preteen and younger fashion trends
If you think clothes shopping for a teen is hard it becomes even hard when shopping for a
preteen or younger child. There's an even wider variety of clothing choices available for this age
group and it's hard to decide what's going to be the best choices. This is also the time when they
are becoming true individuals and want to express that. All of these things combined make it
difficult to go clothing shopping but there are a few things that can help.
Let's start with girls. Preteens and younger often want to dress like their older counterparts and
while this may be cute it can also cause problems. Clothing that is designed for teens is not
necessarily created with a younger child in mind and may not be appropriate for them to wear.
This is one thing that has to be taken into consideration when shopping.
A few modifications though can transform a teen style into something that a preteen or younger
girl can wear with style while still looking their age. For example instead of pairing an outer
shirt with a cami which may be a little too revealing for a younger child suggest they wear it
with a tank top instead. It still has a cute layered look but at the same time it has a younger look
and is not as revealing. There are a wide range of tank tops available in many fabrics and colors
so this is a very versatile piece to own. The great thing with layers being so popular is that if
gives you a better chance to make sure that the outfit covers everything that it needs to cover. If
it seems to show too much just add another layer on top or underneath and it still looks
fashionable but becomes much more modest.
The same problem with teen girls jeans running too tight doesn't seem to be as much of a
problem in preteens as the jeans seem to be made with a little more ease which is great and saves
a lot of hassle when trying to pick out clothing. The style of jeans however is very similar and
for the most part is equally appropriate for a preteen as it is for a teen. One cute trend is for
decorations made of crystals or embroidery to adorn the pants leg which looks both trendy and
girly at the same time.
Now for the boys. There really isn't much difference between teen boys and preteens and most
of the styles are easily appropriate for either age group. The biggest difference is going to be in
choice of graphic tees. The older boys want an older look and their tees reflect that. Younger
boys however go for those things that interest them and that includes their tees. For instance you
might see a preteen boy of 8 or 9 wearing a Hulk shirt but you are less likely to find someone of
16 or 17 wearing the same shirt and not just because of the size difference.
Again it all comes down to layers. The only thing that should really be watched out for is the
content of the shirts other than that let them layer away to their hearts content. As a matter of
fact there one some teen styles that look absolutely adorable on younger boys. One such style is
plaid shorts with a polo and slip on shoes. This look is both comfortable and fashionable and
looks very cute on a younger boy.
As you can see shopping for a preteen or younger child doesn't need to be as difficult as it seems
at first. There are many styles that work very well for younger children. There's a few things to
remember however. How clothes fit is important and it's better to buy things slightly bigger than
needed. Younger children grow quickly and will soon fit into them properly but if you had
bought a smaller size then they would be too small and need replacing. Also look for styles and
colors that look a bit younger than their teen versions. Preteens are still children and need to
dress that way until they are older. Remembering these few things and keeping your child's likes
and dislikes in mind can make for a much less stressful time of clothing shopping.
preteen or younger child. There's an even wider variety of clothing choices available for this age
group and it's hard to decide what's going to be the best choices. This is also the time when they
are becoming true individuals and want to express that. All of these things combined make it
difficult to go clothing shopping but there are a few things that can help.
Let's start with girls. Preteens and younger often want to dress like their older counterparts and
while this may be cute it can also cause problems. Clothing that is designed for teens is not
necessarily created with a younger child in mind and may not be appropriate for them to wear.
This is one thing that has to be taken into consideration when shopping.
A few modifications though can transform a teen style into something that a preteen or younger
girl can wear with style while still looking their age. For example instead of pairing an outer
shirt with a cami which may be a little too revealing for a younger child suggest they wear it
with a tank top instead. It still has a cute layered look but at the same time it has a younger look
and is not as revealing. There are a wide range of tank tops available in many fabrics and colors
so this is a very versatile piece to own. The great thing with layers being so popular is that if
gives you a better chance to make sure that the outfit covers everything that it needs to cover. If
it seems to show too much just add another layer on top or underneath and it still looks
fashionable but becomes much more modest.
The same problem with teen girls jeans running too tight doesn't seem to be as much of a
problem in preteens as the jeans seem to be made with a little more ease which is great and saves
a lot of hassle when trying to pick out clothing. The style of jeans however is very similar and
for the most part is equally appropriate for a preteen as it is for a teen. One cute trend is for
decorations made of crystals or embroidery to adorn the pants leg which looks both trendy and
girly at the same time.
Now for the boys. There really isn't much difference between teen boys and preteens and most
of the styles are easily appropriate for either age group. The biggest difference is going to be in
choice of graphic tees. The older boys want an older look and their tees reflect that. Younger
boys however go for those things that interest them and that includes their tees. For instance you
might see a preteen boy of 8 or 9 wearing a Hulk shirt but you are less likely to find someone of
16 or 17 wearing the same shirt and not just because of the size difference.
Again it all comes down to layers. The only thing that should really be watched out for is the
content of the shirts other than that let them layer away to their hearts content. As a matter of
fact there one some teen styles that look absolutely adorable on younger boys. One such style is
plaid shorts with a polo and slip on shoes. This look is both comfortable and fashionable and
looks very cute on a younger boy.
As you can see shopping for a preteen or younger child doesn't need to be as difficult as it seems
at first. There are many styles that work very well for younger children. There's a few things to
remember however. How clothes fit is important and it's better to buy things slightly bigger than
needed. Younger children grow quickly and will soon fit into them properly but if you had
bought a smaller size then they would be too small and need replacing. Also look for styles and
colors that look a bit younger than their teen versions. Preteens are still children and need to
dress that way until they are older. Remembering these few things and keeping your child's likes
and dislikes in mind can make for a much less stressful time of clothing shopping.
Electronics trends for children and teens
I remember when I was young and the first Nintendo system came out. We were so excited but
had no idea that it was just the beginning of a long trend that would get more and more
advanced. The electronics industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world and
encompasses a lot of area, everything from gaming systems, to mp3 players, to fancy calculators
that do all our figuring for use. There's such a wide range of electronics available that it's hard to
know what's out there and what's going to interest our children.
The biggest trend in electronics is cell phones and pretty much every teen and even some
preteens want them. Far from the big bulky phones of my youth today's cell phones have a
compact design and a wealth of different features. The teens of today use their phones not just
for talking to each other but also for texting, checking email, taking pictures, listening to music,
and watching videos. They are only limited by how much they want to invest in a phone as cell
companies rush to put out phones with new features to attract more teens and preteens. At the
same time service carriers are rolling out plans that are specifically designed with the younger
user in mind. Cell phones have also become a fashion accessory as there are a variety of charms
to decorate them with and even designer cell holders to carry them in.
The next big trend is mp3 players. The convenience of being bale to store music and take it with
them is very appealing to teens. The amount of music that can be carried all depends on the
storage size of the player and they come in wide range of sizes to meet the tastes of the market.
All of this in size that in most cases is small enough to carry in a pocket or in a purse. There's
even a market for mp3 accessories that has everything from decoration to carrying cases.
Various speakers of all sorts of shapes, sizes and volume are available for those who don't wish
to use a headset to listen to their music. When it comes to headsets there's also a wide variety of
options to choose from and your teen is only limited by there personal taste when it comes to
mp3 accessories.
Of course portable games are still very big with the teen and preteen crowd and that doesn't
seem to be decreasing in the least. Today's teens are on the on the go and want to be able to take
their games with them when they go places. Add in the fact that some games systems also play
video and you have an all around entertainment device that a teen can carry with them. Of course
in spirit of customization and personalization there are many accessories to go with these gaming
devices. In addition to the multitude of colors that they already come in there are decals to
decorate them and a multitude of cases to carry them in. All of which allow for a very personal
gaming experience.
It's important to remember that while we may not always agree with it these items have become
an everyday part of our children's lives. The age for a first cell phone seems to get younger and
younger every year and while this may not seem necessary at first it has practical applications
also. A child carrying a cell phone always has a way to contact someone in the case of an
emergency and is much easier to make contact with when they are away from home. Some
phones even have a GPS feature that allows a parent to check the location of the phone and see if
their child is where they are supposed to be. Electronic games and mp3 players provide
entertainment on long bus rides and give our children something to do other than get in trouble.
These electronics have their place in our children's daily lives as long as we take the time to
teach them when and where they are appropriate to be used.
had no idea that it was just the beginning of a long trend that would get more and more
advanced. The electronics industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world and
encompasses a lot of area, everything from gaming systems, to mp3 players, to fancy calculators
that do all our figuring for use. There's such a wide range of electronics available that it's hard to
know what's out there and what's going to interest our children.
The biggest trend in electronics is cell phones and pretty much every teen and even some
preteens want them. Far from the big bulky phones of my youth today's cell phones have a
compact design and a wealth of different features. The teens of today use their phones not just
for talking to each other but also for texting, checking email, taking pictures, listening to music,
and watching videos. They are only limited by how much they want to invest in a phone as cell
companies rush to put out phones with new features to attract more teens and preteens. At the
same time service carriers are rolling out plans that are specifically designed with the younger
user in mind. Cell phones have also become a fashion accessory as there are a variety of charms
to decorate them with and even designer cell holders to carry them in.
The next big trend is mp3 players. The convenience of being bale to store music and take it with
them is very appealing to teens. The amount of music that can be carried all depends on the
storage size of the player and they come in wide range of sizes to meet the tastes of the market.
All of this in size that in most cases is small enough to carry in a pocket or in a purse. There's
even a market for mp3 accessories that has everything from decoration to carrying cases.
Various speakers of all sorts of shapes, sizes and volume are available for those who don't wish
to use a headset to listen to their music. When it comes to headsets there's also a wide variety of
options to choose from and your teen is only limited by there personal taste when it comes to
mp3 accessories.
Of course portable games are still very big with the teen and preteen crowd and that doesn't
seem to be decreasing in the least. Today's teens are on the on the go and want to be able to take
their games with them when they go places. Add in the fact that some games systems also play
video and you have an all around entertainment device that a teen can carry with them. Of course
in spirit of customization and personalization there are many accessories to go with these gaming
devices. In addition to the multitude of colors that they already come in there are decals to
decorate them and a multitude of cases to carry them in. All of which allow for a very personal
gaming experience.
It's important to remember that while we may not always agree with it these items have become
an everyday part of our children's lives. The age for a first cell phone seems to get younger and
younger every year and while this may not seem necessary at first it has practical applications
also. A child carrying a cell phone always has a way to contact someone in the case of an
emergency and is much easier to make contact with when they are away from home. Some
phones even have a GPS feature that allows a parent to check the location of the phone and see if
their child is where they are supposed to be. Electronic games and mp3 players provide
entertainment on long bus rides and give our children something to do other than get in trouble.
These electronics have their place in our children's daily lives as long as we take the time to
teach them when and where they are appropriate to be used.
Eating Healthy with kids
One of the hardest things to do as a parent is to make sure that our children are eating healthy.
It's especially difficult during the school year when they are rushing off to school and after
school activities. With the easy availability of fast food and ready to eat meals and snacks
making it less time consuming to eat unhealthy foods it becomes and uphill battle to keep our
kids healthy.
There are some things that we can do to make the meals our children eat healthy and yet still
have enough time to handle the other things in our lives. All it takes is a little bit of time to get
started on the right track and the knowledge to know what we are doing.
First let's talk about snacks. How easy is it to just grab a bag of chips or a candy bar and use it as
a quick snack after school? It's very easy and also it's not very healthy. Instead of a bag of chips
or something similar instead hand your child a bag of baby carrots or a bag of apple slices. Both
of these now come in convenient snack size bags that can be found in the produce area. If your
child wants something a little sweeter there's always the classic standby of a box of raisins. For a
little bit of a change there's even yogurt covered raising that are readily available.
Breakfasts are hard because the family is rushing around trying to get out of the house and it's
convenient to grab whatever cereal is available and call it breakfast. This isn't necessarily a bad
thing but we need to take the time to look at the cereal boxes and look for ones that are a bit
healthier. Some things to look for when looking at cereals is how much sugar they contain and
how many calories per serving. Look for cereals that are low on both of those items.
Lunches are a little bit harder but still not difficult. One of the things to watch for when choosing
lunch foods is healthy ingredients and as close to all natural foods as possible. The more
processing a food has the less healthy that it is. Another thing to look for is organic food this
food is made with ingredients that are grown in a more healthy manner and contain less harmful
chemicals than other foods do. There's such a wide range of foods available that it's relatively
easy to find something that your child likes that is still good for them.
Salads are a great choice for both lunches and dinners with the variety of things available it's no
problem to use a little bit of creativity and keep salad meals new and interesting. Don't limit
yourself to the things that you would normally put into a salad, tomato, cheese, eggs, and carrots
are all great in salads but why stop there. Cranberries, almonds, walnuts, mandarin oranges,
slices of chicken or ham, and avocado are all healthy ways to spice up a salad and make it more
enjoyable to eat. Actually just about any fruit can be used to give the salad a little bit of texture
and flavor. Don't be afraid to experiment a little and find out what your child likes the best.
On to desserts because after eating all that healthy food the last thing that you should be doing is
grabbing a big sugary dessert. Instead of the traditional desserts of cakes and pies or items like
that there are much better alternatives. A nice bowl of fruit adds a nice sweet treat after a meal
and has the added benefit of providing extra vitamins and nutrients that your child needs. Mix it
up with a little cream for an added treat or slice a bunch of different types of fruit and mix them
all into a bowl for a taste explosion.
There are a lot of different things that we as parents can do to make sure that our kids are getting
healthier foods to eat and lots of reasons why we should. The examples that we set about eating
are what carries through as they get older and sets the standards for how they'll eat as adults. We
want to give them the best possible foundation to start with and that includes a healthy diet.
It's especially difficult during the school year when they are rushing off to school and after
school activities. With the easy availability of fast food and ready to eat meals and snacks
making it less time consuming to eat unhealthy foods it becomes and uphill battle to keep our
kids healthy.
There are some things that we can do to make the meals our children eat healthy and yet still
have enough time to handle the other things in our lives. All it takes is a little bit of time to get
started on the right track and the knowledge to know what we are doing.
First let's talk about snacks. How easy is it to just grab a bag of chips or a candy bar and use it as
a quick snack after school? It's very easy and also it's not very healthy. Instead of a bag of chips
or something similar instead hand your child a bag of baby carrots or a bag of apple slices. Both
of these now come in convenient snack size bags that can be found in the produce area. If your
child wants something a little sweeter there's always the classic standby of a box of raisins. For a
little bit of a change there's even yogurt covered raising that are readily available.
Breakfasts are hard because the family is rushing around trying to get out of the house and it's
convenient to grab whatever cereal is available and call it breakfast. This isn't necessarily a bad
thing but we need to take the time to look at the cereal boxes and look for ones that are a bit
healthier. Some things to look for when looking at cereals is how much sugar they contain and
how many calories per serving. Look for cereals that are low on both of those items.
Lunches are a little bit harder but still not difficult. One of the things to watch for when choosing
lunch foods is healthy ingredients and as close to all natural foods as possible. The more
processing a food has the less healthy that it is. Another thing to look for is organic food this
food is made with ingredients that are grown in a more healthy manner and contain less harmful
chemicals than other foods do. There's such a wide range of foods available that it's relatively
easy to find something that your child likes that is still good for them.
Salads are a great choice for both lunches and dinners with the variety of things available it's no
problem to use a little bit of creativity and keep salad meals new and interesting. Don't limit
yourself to the things that you would normally put into a salad, tomato, cheese, eggs, and carrots
are all great in salads but why stop there. Cranberries, almonds, walnuts, mandarin oranges,
slices of chicken or ham, and avocado are all healthy ways to spice up a salad and make it more
enjoyable to eat. Actually just about any fruit can be used to give the salad a little bit of texture
and flavor. Don't be afraid to experiment a little and find out what your child likes the best.
On to desserts because after eating all that healthy food the last thing that you should be doing is
grabbing a big sugary dessert. Instead of the traditional desserts of cakes and pies or items like
that there are much better alternatives. A nice bowl of fruit adds a nice sweet treat after a meal
and has the added benefit of providing extra vitamins and nutrients that your child needs. Mix it
up with a little cream for an added treat or slice a bunch of different types of fruit and mix them
all into a bowl for a taste explosion.
There are a lot of different things that we as parents can do to make sure that our kids are getting
healthier foods to eat and lots of reasons why we should. The examples that we set about eating
are what carries through as they get older and sets the standards for how they'll eat as adults. We
want to give them the best possible foundation to start with and that includes a healthy diet.
Doing School Work on the Computer
While the increased usage of computers in our daily lives has possibly created a more
productive overall use of our time, it has also introduced us to forms of entertainment
that can quickly consume great amounts of time and attention. When factoring in school
work to the computer usage equation, the possibilities of wasted time are vast. School
work is not always the most conducive activity for keeping a person focused.
Doing school work on the computer is an exercise in both time management and staying
on task. With the click of a mouse button an hour of study time can be lost to a game of
solitaire or a quick search of websites. Distractions abound on a computer, too frequently
an Instant Message will appear asking for a fraction of your time. A notification from the
speakers tells you have an email waiting and a pop-up bubble tells you an RSS feed has
appeared that you need to check out. A 10 second glance at an email can quickly become
30 minutes as you go from link to link reading the latest news.
An additional noted effect of the increase of work done on a computer is the inability to
have legible hand writing. With the majority of written work being typed instead of hand
written, reports have shown an exponential decrease in quality of penmanship. While this
may not seem important at first it can be a symptom of an even bigger problem and can
teach children that doing things the "old fashioned" way is not important when in fact it
also has it's time and place.
The act of studying and doing school work tends to become monotonous and the brain
seeks for ways to distract itself. Whether that be staring at a picture for a few seconds or
listening to music. This need for stimulation does not have to be a negative thing
however. A quick distraction may allow a student to more readily absorb information
once they go back to schoolwork. Working on a computer especially requires occasional
breaks where the student takes their eyes off of the computer and gives them a break.
On the other side of that coin is the increased productivity gained from using computers
for school work. The ease of typing out a paper often allows for better thought
transmission and more detailed work done than traditional hand writing. The ability to
easily go back and reword a thought or expand on a thought allows for students to more
fully realize their potential. Along with ease also comes a saving in time by working on
the computer. It is most of the time quicker to type a paper than to write it out by hand so
typing allows a student to get more done in a shorter period of time.
Studying on a computer allows a student to have multiple avenues of teaching at their
immediate disposal. Alternative views are easily found and questions can be quickly
addressed by online dictionaries, encyclopedias or specialized websites. With the
addition of the internet there is hardly a question that can be posed that an answer cannot
be found for. Of course we do have to pay attention to where our children go on the
internet and teach them which sites are best to find answers on. Just because something is
online does not mean that it is true.
Whether or not to allow our children to do their work on the computer has become a
matter of great debate both among parents and among teachers. It has great potential as a
learning aid but many are afraid of the dangers contained at the same time. Also some
worry about the potential for cheating when there is so much information readily
available. As technology advances this debate will only become more and more
pronounced. For the time being though it's an individual thing and it upt o each parent
and school to decide for themselves.
productive overall use of our time, it has also introduced us to forms of entertainment
that can quickly consume great amounts of time and attention. When factoring in school
work to the computer usage equation, the possibilities of wasted time are vast. School
work is not always the most conducive activity for keeping a person focused.
Doing school work on the computer is an exercise in both time management and staying
on task. With the click of a mouse button an hour of study time can be lost to a game of
solitaire or a quick search of websites. Distractions abound on a computer, too frequently
an Instant Message will appear asking for a fraction of your time. A notification from the
speakers tells you have an email waiting and a pop-up bubble tells you an RSS feed has
appeared that you need to check out. A 10 second glance at an email can quickly become
30 minutes as you go from link to link reading the latest news.
An additional noted effect of the increase of work done on a computer is the inability to
have legible hand writing. With the majority of written work being typed instead of hand
written, reports have shown an exponential decrease in quality of penmanship. While this
may not seem important at first it can be a symptom of an even bigger problem and can
teach children that doing things the "old fashioned" way is not important when in fact it
also has it's time and place.
The act of studying and doing school work tends to become monotonous and the brain
seeks for ways to distract itself. Whether that be staring at a picture for a few seconds or
listening to music. This need for stimulation does not have to be a negative thing
however. A quick distraction may allow a student to more readily absorb information
once they go back to schoolwork. Working on a computer especially requires occasional
breaks where the student takes their eyes off of the computer and gives them a break.
On the other side of that coin is the increased productivity gained from using computers
for school work. The ease of typing out a paper often allows for better thought
transmission and more detailed work done than traditional hand writing. The ability to
easily go back and reword a thought or expand on a thought allows for students to more
fully realize their potential. Along with ease also comes a saving in time by working on
the computer. It is most of the time quicker to type a paper than to write it out by hand so
typing allows a student to get more done in a shorter period of time.
Studying on a computer allows a student to have multiple avenues of teaching at their
immediate disposal. Alternative views are easily found and questions can be quickly
addressed by online dictionaries, encyclopedias or specialized websites. With the
addition of the internet there is hardly a question that can be posed that an answer cannot
be found for. Of course we do have to pay attention to where our children go on the
internet and teach them which sites are best to find answers on. Just because something is
online does not mean that it is true.
Whether or not to allow our children to do their work on the computer has become a
matter of great debate both among parents and among teachers. It has great potential as a
learning aid but many are afraid of the dangers contained at the same time. Also some
worry about the potential for cheating when there is so much information readily
available. As technology advances this debate will only become more and more
pronounced. For the time being though it's an individual thing and it upt o each parent
and school to decide for themselves.
Current trends in teen fashion for boys
The world of fashion is a bewildering place and even more so when you are the parent of a teen.
The clothing that they wear is sometimes a bit bewildering and hard for a parent to understand.
Often as parents all we can do is shake our heads and wonder what happened to the styles of our
own teens. It is possible to navigate this bold new world of fashion though and maybe
understand it a little bit.
Fashion for teen boys has become all about the deconstructed look.. Instead of clothes looking
shiny and new when bought now they want to buy them looking lived in and worn. One of the
funniest parts of this fashion to a parent is the fact that deconstructed clothing that looks old and
worn often costs more than clothing that doesn't follow this style. Hard to understand for a
parent but quite normal to a teen.
One of the biggest areas that you'll see this look in teen boys in is their pants. The current look
in jeans is old looking. Painted spots, torn holes, and frayed cuffs all adorn the current crop of
fashionable jeans. The high or normal sitting waist has been replaced with the low waist with the
legs worn slightly longer than necessary for a slouched lived in kind of look. There's a bit of
variety with the shape of the leg though as both straight leg and boot leg styles are currently
popular.
There are options that are popular that have a slightly cleaner look to them. The classic cargo
pant and cargo short is always a good investment and rarely seems to go out of style. Indeed it
can be easily combined with the current crop of popular top styles. Plaid shorts for guys also
seems to be making a strong comeback for a bit more of a preppier look.
There's even more variety when it comes to tops. Going along with the look in jeans the
deconstructed look is popular in tops too. Frayed and faded tops layered over each other is an
immensely popular style and lends itself to a multitude of different styles especially when
graphic tees are added in. Tees can be worn under or over a another shirt sometimes one with
long sleeves or short ones also. They can also be worn layered over each other for a colorful
comfortable look. A really cute and popular look is to take a graphic tee and wear it over top of a
thin long sleeved shirt with a pair slouched jeans and flip flops. This pulls together to create a
comfortable casual look that is all the rage right now.
Of course there are some things that are classic and never really go out of style. Polo shirts are
one of those items. While the fit of the polo may change a bit and popular colors vary from year
to year the polo shirt is a closet classic that ages well from year to year. It can be worn with the
faded jeans for a casual look, cargo pant for a cleaner look, or with plaid shorts for a hip preppy
look. All of these combinations make it a must have for any wardrobe.
The biggest tip that can be given to any parent when it comes to buying clothing for their teen
boy is to take their clue from him. What does he like? What kinds of activities does he
participate in? Are there particular colors that he really likes? Fashion is an expression of
ourselves and our personalities. It allows us to show the world what we like and sometimes what
we don't. We need to take an active role in guiding our children but it's important to let them
have their own say so that what they have to wear is something that reflects them. Remember
that they will be the ones wearing it not us.
The clothing that they wear is sometimes a bit bewildering and hard for a parent to understand.
Often as parents all we can do is shake our heads and wonder what happened to the styles of our
own teens. It is possible to navigate this bold new world of fashion though and maybe
understand it a little bit.
Fashion for teen boys has become all about the deconstructed look.. Instead of clothes looking
shiny and new when bought now they want to buy them looking lived in and worn. One of the
funniest parts of this fashion to a parent is the fact that deconstructed clothing that looks old and
worn often costs more than clothing that doesn't follow this style. Hard to understand for a
parent but quite normal to a teen.
One of the biggest areas that you'll see this look in teen boys in is their pants. The current look
in jeans is old looking. Painted spots, torn holes, and frayed cuffs all adorn the current crop of
fashionable jeans. The high or normal sitting waist has been replaced with the low waist with the
legs worn slightly longer than necessary for a slouched lived in kind of look. There's a bit of
variety with the shape of the leg though as both straight leg and boot leg styles are currently
popular.
There are options that are popular that have a slightly cleaner look to them. The classic cargo
pant and cargo short is always a good investment and rarely seems to go out of style. Indeed it
can be easily combined with the current crop of popular top styles. Plaid shorts for guys also
seems to be making a strong comeback for a bit more of a preppier look.
There's even more variety when it comes to tops. Going along with the look in jeans the
deconstructed look is popular in tops too. Frayed and faded tops layered over each other is an
immensely popular style and lends itself to a multitude of different styles especially when
graphic tees are added in. Tees can be worn under or over a another shirt sometimes one with
long sleeves or short ones also. They can also be worn layered over each other for a colorful
comfortable look. A really cute and popular look is to take a graphic tee and wear it over top of a
thin long sleeved shirt with a pair slouched jeans and flip flops. This pulls together to create a
comfortable casual look that is all the rage right now.
Of course there are some things that are classic and never really go out of style. Polo shirts are
one of those items. While the fit of the polo may change a bit and popular colors vary from year
to year the polo shirt is a closet classic that ages well from year to year. It can be worn with the
faded jeans for a casual look, cargo pant for a cleaner look, or with plaid shorts for a hip preppy
look. All of these combinations make it a must have for any wardrobe.
The biggest tip that can be given to any parent when it comes to buying clothing for their teen
boy is to take their clue from him. What does he like? What kinds of activities does he
participate in? Are there particular colors that he really likes? Fashion is an expression of
ourselves and our personalities. It allows us to show the world what we like and sometimes what
we don't. We need to take an active role in guiding our children but it's important to let them
have their own say so that what they have to wear is something that reflects them. Remember
that they will be the ones wearing it not us.
Current fashion trends for teen girls
Today is a great time to be a teen girl when it comes to the wide variety of fashions that are
available. There's such a dazzling display of colors, patterns, and styles that it's easy to get
turned around and not know what's popular any more. It's also easy to lose track of the fact that
our teen girls are still young women and that not all styles are appropriate for them to wear. The
key is balance being fashionable with still being a teen and having fun being young.
The deconstructed look that has taken over teen boys fashion has also found it's way over to the
girls but with a feminine twist. Instead of pairing a faded shirt with a graphic tee a girl may opt
to instead mix it up with a colorful cami showing a hint of lace. It's still a comfortable casual
style but gives a little more of a girlish touch to the look. Or, going the opposite way she may
pair the graphic tee with a vintage blouse for a look that's slightly sharper and not quite as
casual.
The low rise jeans craze has also hit the female gender and has in fact gone a little bit further as
girls jeans become lower and tighter than their male counterparts. This isn't necessarily a bad
thing but can be taken to an extreme that is inappropriate for someone of that age. Noone really
needs to see what underwear your teen daughter is wearing so care should always be taken to
find jeans that fit well.
Capris are also a popular look that lend themselves to wide range of possibilities. The nice thing
about capris is that they can go from being casual to being crisp and businesslike with just a
change of top and accessory. Paired with a nice button down vest and sensible shoes they create
a smart look that's equally at home in both a classroom or at the mall for an afternoon shopping
trip. On the other hand pair them with a tee or a halter top and a pair of wedge shoes and you
have a comfortable casual look that she can wear hanging out with friends. The possibilities are
only limited by the imagination and use of accessories.
Of course there is the ever popular skirt. Skirts never really go out of fashion they just change
shape and size. This year the mini is yet again in fashion which has a lot of parents concerned.
They just aren't ready for their daughter to leave the house showing that much skin. Well,
there's a solution for the this problem that can keep both parents and daughters happy. That
solution is the footless tights that are enjoying another year of popularity. These tights allow a
teen girl to wear a skirt that by itself would be too short for modesty but with the tights it
becomes both wearable and fashionable.
Dresses are also a very fashionable choice and there's a wide range of dress styles to choose
from. For casual wear the ever popular halter dress is always a good choice. Available in a
variety of colors and lengths there's sure to be one that will please even the most finicky teen
girl. For more formal occasions the halter dress can be paired with a nice shirt or sweater giving
it a more demure appearance that lends itself well to occasions where a halter dress by itself
would not be appropriate.
One of the best things about fashion for teen girls is the variety and the color. The current trend
of bright colors and bold prints makes for a more interesting fashion statement than in past
seasons. Layers make for a mor versatile wardrobe that can be made up of less individual pieces
so that it's possible to go for quality instead of quantity. All of these things make is possible for
a girl to really exercise her sense of individuality and create a look that is truly her own.
available. There's such a dazzling display of colors, patterns, and styles that it's easy to get
turned around and not know what's popular any more. It's also easy to lose track of the fact that
our teen girls are still young women and that not all styles are appropriate for them to wear. The
key is balance being fashionable with still being a teen and having fun being young.
The deconstructed look that has taken over teen boys fashion has also found it's way over to the
girls but with a feminine twist. Instead of pairing a faded shirt with a graphic tee a girl may opt
to instead mix it up with a colorful cami showing a hint of lace. It's still a comfortable casual
style but gives a little more of a girlish touch to the look. Or, going the opposite way she may
pair the graphic tee with a vintage blouse for a look that's slightly sharper and not quite as
casual.
The low rise jeans craze has also hit the female gender and has in fact gone a little bit further as
girls jeans become lower and tighter than their male counterparts. This isn't necessarily a bad
thing but can be taken to an extreme that is inappropriate for someone of that age. Noone really
needs to see what underwear your teen daughter is wearing so care should always be taken to
find jeans that fit well.
Capris are also a popular look that lend themselves to wide range of possibilities. The nice thing
about capris is that they can go from being casual to being crisp and businesslike with just a
change of top and accessory. Paired with a nice button down vest and sensible shoes they create
a smart look that's equally at home in both a classroom or at the mall for an afternoon shopping
trip. On the other hand pair them with a tee or a halter top and a pair of wedge shoes and you
have a comfortable casual look that she can wear hanging out with friends. The possibilities are
only limited by the imagination and use of accessories.
Of course there is the ever popular skirt. Skirts never really go out of fashion they just change
shape and size. This year the mini is yet again in fashion which has a lot of parents concerned.
They just aren't ready for their daughter to leave the house showing that much skin. Well,
there's a solution for the this problem that can keep both parents and daughters happy. That
solution is the footless tights that are enjoying another year of popularity. These tights allow a
teen girl to wear a skirt that by itself would be too short for modesty but with the tights it
becomes both wearable and fashionable.
Dresses are also a very fashionable choice and there's a wide range of dress styles to choose
from. For casual wear the ever popular halter dress is always a good choice. Available in a
variety of colors and lengths there's sure to be one that will please even the most finicky teen
girl. For more formal occasions the halter dress can be paired with a nice shirt or sweater giving
it a more demure appearance that lends itself well to occasions where a halter dress by itself
would not be appropriate.
One of the best things about fashion for teen girls is the variety and the color. The current trend
of bright colors and bold prints makes for a more interesting fashion statement than in past
seasons. Layers make for a mor versatile wardrobe that can be made up of less individual pieces
so that it's possible to go for quality instead of quantity. All of these things make is possible for
a girl to really exercise her sense of individuality and create a look that is truly her own.
Closet Organizers that make life easier
One of the hardest things to do is to try to stay organized especially when there are children
involved. Children don't always understand the importance of staying organized and are prone to
just leaving things where they lay. One of the biggest problem areas can be the closet especially
if it's a large one. Quite often it becomes a catch all for everything and can become quite messy.
The good news is that there is help for this problem.
There are a variety of closet organizers available on the market today and your only limited by
imagination and how much you want to spend. Solution can be as simple as using shoe boxes to
hold small items or as complex as full size closet organizers involving shelves and hangers that
have every possible combination of places to store items.
Shoe boxes are a cheap and easy way to keep things in place. Next time you buy shoes for
yourself or your family put those left over boxes to good use. Put a label on the outside end so
that you know the contents and use them to store small or medium items in the closet. They are
great for small toys or school supplies. For something that looks a little bit nicer you can even
help your child cover them in decorative paper or wall paper and can even have them match the
decor of the room. This allows you to organize while still keeping the room looking nice. Or,
there are a multitude of clear plastic shoe boxes available for purchase that match everything and
have the added benefit of being much sturdier due to the heaviness of the plastic instead of the
cardboard of a regular shoe box.
Another option is to use the plastic drawers and carts that are available at many stores. These
come in various sizes and shapes and can fit into almost any space. The nice thing about these is
that with them being clear plastic they are easy to see the contents if a label should somehow get
misplaced. Depending on what type you get they will often stack on top of each other allowing
you to fit the most amount of storage into the smallest possible space. It's not recommended
though that you stack them higher than the child's head as this can cause a safety hazard.
There's also the organizers that are designed to maximize storage in closet space. These tend to
be more expensive than the previous two methods and take a little bit more time to put together
but they can be the nicest looking and most effective out of the three options. They come in two
different forms. Ones that are already designed out and all you have to do is find one that fits in
the closet space available are easy and convenient but don't allow much for creativity or
personalization. Then there are the ones where you decide exactly what you need. How many
shelves, how big of a hanging area, and box areas for storage are some of the areas that you can
customize. These take more time to put together because you have to decide exactly how much
space you have and what you need to store in the area but when you are done you have a closet
that is organized to your exact specifications.
It can be a very daunting task to try to organize a closet but the benefits far outweigh the set up
time. The time that can be saved by being able to go to the closet and easily find items can be far
better used on other projects like homework or extra curricular activities. It also saves money
how many times have we bought a second item because our child loved it and thought it was lost
and then later it's found and we have duplicates? By having everything organized we avoid this
problem and save ourselves both time and money.
involved. Children don't always understand the importance of staying organized and are prone to
just leaving things where they lay. One of the biggest problem areas can be the closet especially
if it's a large one. Quite often it becomes a catch all for everything and can become quite messy.
The good news is that there is help for this problem.
There are a variety of closet organizers available on the market today and your only limited by
imagination and how much you want to spend. Solution can be as simple as using shoe boxes to
hold small items or as complex as full size closet organizers involving shelves and hangers that
have every possible combination of places to store items.
Shoe boxes are a cheap and easy way to keep things in place. Next time you buy shoes for
yourself or your family put those left over boxes to good use. Put a label on the outside end so
that you know the contents and use them to store small or medium items in the closet. They are
great for small toys or school supplies. For something that looks a little bit nicer you can even
help your child cover them in decorative paper or wall paper and can even have them match the
decor of the room. This allows you to organize while still keeping the room looking nice. Or,
there are a multitude of clear plastic shoe boxes available for purchase that match everything and
have the added benefit of being much sturdier due to the heaviness of the plastic instead of the
cardboard of a regular shoe box.
Another option is to use the plastic drawers and carts that are available at many stores. These
come in various sizes and shapes and can fit into almost any space. The nice thing about these is
that with them being clear plastic they are easy to see the contents if a label should somehow get
misplaced. Depending on what type you get they will often stack on top of each other allowing
you to fit the most amount of storage into the smallest possible space. It's not recommended
though that you stack them higher than the child's head as this can cause a safety hazard.
There's also the organizers that are designed to maximize storage in closet space. These tend to
be more expensive than the previous two methods and take a little bit more time to put together
but they can be the nicest looking and most effective out of the three options. They come in two
different forms. Ones that are already designed out and all you have to do is find one that fits in
the closet space available are easy and convenient but don't allow much for creativity or
personalization. Then there are the ones where you decide exactly what you need. How many
shelves, how big of a hanging area, and box areas for storage are some of the areas that you can
customize. These take more time to put together because you have to decide exactly how much
space you have and what you need to store in the area but when you are done you have a closet
that is organized to your exact specifications.
It can be a very daunting task to try to organize a closet but the benefits far outweigh the set up
time. The time that can be saved by being able to go to the closet and easily find items can be far
better used on other projects like homework or extra curricular activities. It also saves money
how many times have we bought a second item because our child loved it and thought it was lost
and then later it's found and we have duplicates? By having everything organized we avoid this
problem and save ourselves both time and money.
Calming your childs fears about starting a new school
Starting a new school year can be one of the hardest times in a child's
life. To an adult it doesn't
seem like much in the grand scheme of things but we've gotten older and
forgotten how much
fear is involved. It's a big step going into a new school where you
don't necessarily know
anyone. There are two main times when this happens to a child. The first
is when then move up
in grade and the new grades are housed in a different school and the
second is when the family or
the child moves to a completely new area and the child is starting a
brand new school for the first
time. Both times are stressful for the child but there are things that
we as parents can do to help
them get through it.
life. To an adult it doesn't
seem like much in the grand scheme of things but we've gotten older and
forgotten how much
fear is involved. It's a big step going into a new school where you
don't necessarily know
anyone. There are two main times when this happens to a child. The first
is when then move up
in grade and the new grades are housed in a different school and the
second is when the family or
the child moves to a completely new area and the child is starting a
brand new school for the first
time. Both times are stressful for the child but there are things that
we as parents can do to help
them get through it.
The first situation is a little bit easier to deal with because there's
a possibility that some of your
child's friends might be at the new school with them. This help make the
transition into the new
school a little bit easier. Sometimes they'll even be in the same class
which helps even more. If
there's more than one school for them to go to like there are in bigger
areas most of the time
you'll be notified during the summer which school and class your child
will be attending which
gives you time to help your child adjust. Encourage them to talk to
their friends and see which
school they'll be going to and if they have any classes together. This
gives them a chance to start
talking about any fears and gives you a chance to alleviate them. Next
learn a little bit about the
school and point things out to them so that they begin to see it as an
adventure rather than
something scary. Finally, if there's a before school meeting with the
teacher be sure to take your
child. This gives them a chance to meet the person that will be teaching
them for the following
year and can make them feel a bit calmer about the situation.
The second instance is a little harder for a child to deal with. Not
only are they going to a new
school but they are in a new area and may be apprehensive about being
able to find their way
around. The first thing that you can do is decide how they'll be getting
to school each day. If
they'll be walking to school find out where it is and have your child
help you plan a route to
walk. After it's planned have them walk it a couple of times for
practice so that they feel
confident about how to get there. Another way that you can help is by
encouraging your child to
get to know the neighborhood kids. There's a good chance that some if
not all of them will be
going to the same school and meeting them will mean that your child
won't start school
surrounded by strangers as there will be some familiar faces. Find out
what kind of activities are
available at the new school and talk about them together so that they
can have something to lok
forward to.
Most of all just let them know that your always there to listen to their
fears and concerns. No
matter which of the two situations it is the simple act of listening can
have a great impact on
your child.
Balancing play and study time setting boundaries
One of the joys of being a child is having time to play. Playing is
important in child development
for a couple of reasons. It gives time for the body to decompress from
the stress of an active
schedule. It also reminds a child that all of life isn't about work that
there is fun to be had also
and gives them something to look forward to for when their work is done.
However, it's
important to find a balance between the work that needs to be done and
the play that we want to
do. As parents we can help our children learn how to balance the two and
make sure that they are
getting enough of both to have a healthy development.
important in child development
for a couple of reasons. It gives time for the body to decompress from
the stress of an active
schedule. It also reminds a child that all of life isn't about work that
there is fun to be had also
and gives them something to look forward to for when their work is done.
However, it's
important to find a balance between the work that needs to be done and
the play that we want to
do. As parents we can help our children learn how to balance the two and
make sure that they are
getting enough of both to have a healthy development.
The first thing we can do is sit them down and talk to them about
priorities. Play is fun and
important but getting our work done has to come first. The decisions
that we make as children
have consequences that can affect us for the rest of our lives and most
of the time children don't
understand that unless we take the time to explain it to them. They
don't understand that a good
education is the foundation to making a start in life and that they will
need that education later on
to do things in life.
We can also make studying more fun for them. Set up a reward system for
grades where studying
and doing good on their grades can help them achieve rewards. There are
a couple of ways to do
this the first is to set up a sticker board where each hour of study
time and every good grade gets
them a sticker and after so many stickers they can have a reward.
Another way to set this up is to
use a points system. In a points system studying and tests are both
worth a certain amount of
points those points can be used towards special privileges or rewards.
Really there's no limit to
the number of things that can be set up with these systems. It's all a
matter of imagination and
what the parent is trying to achieve.
Another method is the punishment and reward method. In this method if
the child does not
complete their work or get bad grades then things are taken away from
them. The things taken
away can be either physical things or loss of privileges. The reward is
that they are allowed to do
their normal play activities. This encourages the child to get their
work done on time so that they
can move on to more enjoyable activities. This effective for some
children but not for others.
These are just a few of the many methods used for balancing play and
study time. What works
for one child may not work with another child and care should be taken
to make sure that the
plan used is tailored to the individual so that it actually works.
Sometimes it's even necessary to
use different methods within the same family of children. As parents we
should look at all the
options before we decide what we want to use. If something doesn't work
then it's time to look
at another method because it's a waste of time to continue using a
method that is not effective.
Balancing extracurricular activities with school work
As parents it's important to help our children and give them the best
tools to succeed in life. One
of these tools is knowing how to balance things that need to be done.
This especially important
as our children get older and want to participate in school activities.
We want them to be able to
do these activities but at the same time school work is important to
their future and we don't
want them to neglect it. It's possible for them to learn to balance both
and be able to handle
being active.
tools to succeed in life. One
of these tools is knowing how to balance things that need to be done.
This especially important
as our children get older and want to participate in school activities.
We want them to be able to
do these activities but at the same time school work is important to
their future and we don't
want them to neglect it. It's possible for them to learn to balance both
and be able to handle
being active.
One thing that helps is to make sure that your child is only signing up
for things that they can
handle. Nothing is accomplished by taking on activities that they have
no way to complete. This
can have a serious negative affect on their self esteem when they aren't
able to complete things.
It's better to avoid problems by planning ahead and helping them to only
sign up for the things
that they can handle. It may seem harsh and counter productive but it's
not a bad thing to teach
our children to be realistic about their abilities as they reach for the
stars.
The next thing we can do is teach them how to manage their time
effectively. The time to
complete activities and homework has to come from somewhere and there
still has to be time for
things like eating and sleeping. We can facilitate time management by
posting a calendar that
has spots for time during the day and letting our children schedule in
their activities so they
know exactly where they have to be and when. We should help them but as
they get older it's
important to let them do most of the scheduling themselves so that they
learn responsibility that
will help them later in life. Sometimes they'll make mistakes and that's
okay also because we
learn through making mistakes. It's how we handle those mistakes and
move on from them that
helps us grow as people and move on in our lives.
One of the most important things that we can do to help them is to teach
them how important the
schoolwork is to them. It's easy to get caught up in our activities and
want to focus just on them
so sometimes it's necessary for the parent to step in and redirect focus
just a little bit. As much
as we would like to believe that our child is the next big sports star
or chess champion it's so rare
that it actually happens that we need them to have the education as a
back up. A good education
is important because it give them something to use when they get older.
It's not that we should
neglect activities outside of school as not being important but we have
to teach them the
importance of balancing both aspects of their time in school.
All of these things work together to help our children find time for
both school work and
activities. We're our childs biggest supporters and their first role
models so it's up to us to set
these examples. This means that sometimes we have to take the initiative
to talk to them about
things and to step in when we see problems developing that are too big
for them to handle on
their own.
2008/10/12
Xerox Phaser 6180/N review
The Xerox Phaser 6180/N bears striking resemblance to Dell laser printer (3110cn). Their designs are almost similar and so are their paper paths. Basically they are almost the same, but the Xerox printer is superior when it comes to documentation and support. And this is why you just might prefer Xerox’s 6180/N over the 3110cn.
The printer has a manual tray which can hold up to 150 sheets of paper. For reaching this tray, you need to fold down the huge panel in front of the printer. The base has a drawer, which can accommodate around 250 papers. The manual tray draws papers from the main paper drawer in front. You can put up to 15 mm high envelopes in the tray.
There is also an option for increasing the printer’s paper holding capacity. You can add an extra 550 sheet drawer for just $399. The Dell prices are on the lower side for the same ($299). You can also get double printing on your printer by getting a duplexer for $199. The duplexer for Dell’s also cost the same.
The Xerox 6180/N is compatible for PostScript as well as PCL printing. The PostScript driver was used to test the speed of the printer. Text was printed at a speed of 23.7 pages/ minute (Dell has a rate of 25.3 pages per/minute). For color images, the rate was 1.9 pages/ minute on plain paper. For pictures on shiny presentation paper, the printing rate was 0.6 pages/ minute. On the whole, the printing speed was quite good.
The printing quality is good, but not as good or clear as Dell’s. The text has sharp outline and is pretty neat in appearance. It’s slate gray in appearance and has a shiny sheen around it. Some people like this glossy sheen of the ink but for others it’s quite a put off.
The grayscale samples do not come out very clear. The contrast is poor and shadows are not defined properly. The edges of the color images are sometimes over sharpened. The pictures printed on the glossy paper do not look great. They have a washed out appearance. The finer details are not seen clearly. If heavy grayscale work will be needed, this printer will not be able to do that job as it will do it well and free of problems.
The control panel has a LCD display where you can preview the pictures. The printer has toner cartridges which are stacked one above another. They are visible when you fold down the front of the printer. When you buy the 6180/N, you get toner cartridges sufficient for printing 2000 color pages and 3000 black pages. You can get replacement cartridges easily.
For an 8000 page, black cartridge you need to pay $190 and you can get three color cartridges for $196 each. These replacement Xerox cartridges are priced more than Dell’s cartridges. You get one year warranty with the 6180/N and thus if you encounter and problem with the transfer unit, feed roller or fuser within this period, you can get it replaced. However, the price is still reasonable as some of these extra’s can cost up to the thousands, depending on the printing company.
During the warranty period, each black and white page costs you 2.4 cents and each color page 12.2 cents. These numbers are actually higher than the Dell’s 3110cn.
The side of the printer has a plastic pouch, which contains the quick use guide. You can refer to this guide whenever you face any problem with your printer. As with other Xerox machine, this one too has excellent documentation.
The 6180/N is quite an effective printer for small offices where usually texts are produced. However Dell’s 3110cn is a better option because its maintenance cost is low. The extra sheet drawer for Dell is also cheaply priced as compared to Xerox. Dell’s 3110cn definitely has an edge over the 6180/N.
The printer has a manual tray which can hold up to 150 sheets of paper. For reaching this tray, you need to fold down the huge panel in front of the printer. The base has a drawer, which can accommodate around 250 papers. The manual tray draws papers from the main paper drawer in front. You can put up to 15 mm high envelopes in the tray.
There is also an option for increasing the printer’s paper holding capacity. You can add an extra 550 sheet drawer for just $399. The Dell prices are on the lower side for the same ($299). You can also get double printing on your printer by getting a duplexer for $199. The duplexer for Dell’s also cost the same.
The Xerox 6180/N is compatible for PostScript as well as PCL printing. The PostScript driver was used to test the speed of the printer. Text was printed at a speed of 23.7 pages/ minute (Dell has a rate of 25.3 pages per/minute). For color images, the rate was 1.9 pages/ minute on plain paper. For pictures on shiny presentation paper, the printing rate was 0.6 pages/ minute. On the whole, the printing speed was quite good.
The printing quality is good, but not as good or clear as Dell’s. The text has sharp outline and is pretty neat in appearance. It’s slate gray in appearance and has a shiny sheen around it. Some people like this glossy sheen of the ink but for others it’s quite a put off.
The grayscale samples do not come out very clear. The contrast is poor and shadows are not defined properly. The edges of the color images are sometimes over sharpened. The pictures printed on the glossy paper do not look great. They have a washed out appearance. The finer details are not seen clearly. If heavy grayscale work will be needed, this printer will not be able to do that job as it will do it well and free of problems.
The control panel has a LCD display where you can preview the pictures. The printer has toner cartridges which are stacked one above another. They are visible when you fold down the front of the printer. When you buy the 6180/N, you get toner cartridges sufficient for printing 2000 color pages and 3000 black pages. You can get replacement cartridges easily.
For an 8000 page, black cartridge you need to pay $190 and you can get three color cartridges for $196 each. These replacement Xerox cartridges are priced more than Dell’s cartridges. You get one year warranty with the 6180/N and thus if you encounter and problem with the transfer unit, feed roller or fuser within this period, you can get it replaced. However, the price is still reasonable as some of these extra’s can cost up to the thousands, depending on the printing company.
During the warranty period, each black and white page costs you 2.4 cents and each color page 12.2 cents. These numbers are actually higher than the Dell’s 3110cn.
The side of the printer has a plastic pouch, which contains the quick use guide. You can refer to this guide whenever you face any problem with your printer. As with other Xerox machine, this one too has excellent documentation.
The 6180/N is quite an effective printer for small offices where usually texts are produced. However Dell’s 3110cn is a better option because its maintenance cost is low. The extra sheet drawer for Dell is also cheaply priced as compared to Xerox. Dell’s 3110cn definitely has an edge over the 6180/N.
Xerox Phaser 6130N Review
I primarily thought that the Xerox Phaser 6130/N ($450) seemed like a smaller rendition of other Phaser units as I opened its package. It looked like a lighter, more compact alternative for a person who might need a color laser for personal, home or office utilization. Although, as I was preparing to set it up, uncovering the different panels and reviewing my purchase, there was this uncanny hunch that it was the same print engine i had seen before, but from another brand.
Actually, I had seen it before. Even if the exterior of the 6130/N is designed differently; it has the same Fuji-Xerox engine that the Dell Color Laser Printer 1320c uses. The former is more expensive than the latter, though. Instead of taking the work into the computer the network connector that was built in and PostScript processes the image and sends it directly to the printer.
the 6130/N is atypically humble in proportion and weight with it being a color laser, 38 lbs, 15.3" by 15.8" by 15.5" (HWD). Its humble size makes placing it easier around a small area yet it is not small enough to for me to want it atop my workplace.
Adjusting a low-end color laser is mostly typical. The packaging is rid of, paper is fed into the machine, cables and cords are plugged, and software is installed. Taking off its packaging is more tedious than most lasers. Quite differently with this laser, the front panel is first removed, making it lie horizontal before removing a weighty imaging unit, adjusting restraining ribbons and reinsierting the unit.
To do this, you must move the imaging unit over the transfer belt both ways, exiting and entering. It was uncomfortable to move such a weighty thing over the exposed belt but the warranty covered the unlikely yet possible impairment.
I'd like to comment on Xerox's optimal network installation set to max standards. I located the printer, installed the driver for Windows Xp for my tests in only 3 clicks of the mouse. (It may also include a Vista driver).
The main resemblance of a Dell and Xerox printer is the speed of their engine. Both have ratings are 16 ppm for black and white and 12ppm for colored prints. To be empirical, the rating is 12 ppm for both monochrome and color.
If you adjust your driver to print colored, even if you are printing only in monochrome, the unit will print in 12 ppm mode. When set for monochrome, it prints at 16ppm yet it also prints even color papers in monochrome. It would seem better to remain with the default settings rather than having to check and reset it each time. I ran all my trials assuming that.
The 6130/N took its time printing on our business suite, slowly printing out 15-min, 51-sec overall with Quality Logic's hardware and software. For comparison, the costlier Editor's Choice Xerox Phaser 6180N was much quicker at 10:22. The Dell 1320, also, was quicker also at 12:57. For a color laser, its photo speed was low at 1:21 for every 4-by-6 and 3:02 for 8-by-10's.
The quality of the 6130/N is what sets it apart with distinctively high-caliber text and more class over all compared to many color lasers.
This unit can manage any document you may need it to print. Its text quality is barely under the best laser output, more than half of the text tests producing agreeable results in readability and being well-formed at points, some at 4 and no standard typefaces needing more than 6. Even complex typefaces with heavy lines which other machines have difficulty with at less than 20 points passed as both easily readable and well formed at 12 points.
The details quality of its graphics however was more impressive than most color lasers. There was slight irresolution, it was relatively obviously grainy and there were spots of white around color blocks. It handles slender lines which don't appear on other printers well. Yet this machine's product is adequate for business needs like presentation giveouts. Depending on your discretion, the product is considerable for significant clientelle.
At a close distance, the pictures are passable for true photograph quality. The Xerox Phaser is a printer that is useful and practical for newsletters, bulletins, circular mail or personal notifications and memos.
There aren't many features for the 6130/N. There are no extra trays to complement the 250-sheet standard, and no duplexer. PostScript is one of the main motives to purchase this unit, because it guarantees that all documents are printed in the same format from any PostScript printer while others change formats by altering settings. Having a need for PostScript or not, though, the 6130/N is a good machine that is a practical pick for a humble workspace.
Actually, I had seen it before. Even if the exterior of the 6130/N is designed differently; it has the same Fuji-Xerox engine that the Dell Color Laser Printer 1320c uses. The former is more expensive than the latter, though. Instead of taking the work into the computer the network connector that was built in and PostScript processes the image and sends it directly to the printer.
the 6130/N is atypically humble in proportion and weight with it being a color laser, 38 lbs, 15.3" by 15.8" by 15.5" (HWD). Its humble size makes placing it easier around a small area yet it is not small enough to for me to want it atop my workplace.
Adjusting a low-end color laser is mostly typical. The packaging is rid of, paper is fed into the machine, cables and cords are plugged, and software is installed. Taking off its packaging is more tedious than most lasers. Quite differently with this laser, the front panel is first removed, making it lie horizontal before removing a weighty imaging unit, adjusting restraining ribbons and reinsierting the unit.
To do this, you must move the imaging unit over the transfer belt both ways, exiting and entering. It was uncomfortable to move such a weighty thing over the exposed belt but the warranty covered the unlikely yet possible impairment.
I'd like to comment on Xerox's optimal network installation set to max standards. I located the printer, installed the driver for Windows Xp for my tests in only 3 clicks of the mouse. (It may also include a Vista driver).
The main resemblance of a Dell and Xerox printer is the speed of their engine. Both have ratings are 16 ppm for black and white and 12ppm for colored prints. To be empirical, the rating is 12 ppm for both monochrome and color.
If you adjust your driver to print colored, even if you are printing only in monochrome, the unit will print in 12 ppm mode. When set for monochrome, it prints at 16ppm yet it also prints even color papers in monochrome. It would seem better to remain with the default settings rather than having to check and reset it each time. I ran all my trials assuming that.
The 6130/N took its time printing on our business suite, slowly printing out 15-min, 51-sec overall with Quality Logic's hardware and software. For comparison, the costlier Editor's Choice Xerox Phaser 6180N was much quicker at 10:22. The Dell 1320, also, was quicker also at 12:57. For a color laser, its photo speed was low at 1:21 for every 4-by-6 and 3:02 for 8-by-10's.
The quality of the 6130/N is what sets it apart with distinctively high-caliber text and more class over all compared to many color lasers.
This unit can manage any document you may need it to print. Its text quality is barely under the best laser output, more than half of the text tests producing agreeable results in readability and being well-formed at points, some at 4 and no standard typefaces needing more than 6. Even complex typefaces with heavy lines which other machines have difficulty with at less than 20 points passed as both easily readable and well formed at 12 points.
The details quality of its graphics however was more impressive than most color lasers. There was slight irresolution, it was relatively obviously grainy and there were spots of white around color blocks. It handles slender lines which don't appear on other printers well. Yet this machine's product is adequate for business needs like presentation giveouts. Depending on your discretion, the product is considerable for significant clientelle.
At a close distance, the pictures are passable for true photograph quality. The Xerox Phaser is a printer that is useful and practical for newsletters, bulletins, circular mail or personal notifications and memos.
There aren't many features for the 6130/N. There are no extra trays to complement the 250-sheet standard, and no duplexer. PostScript is one of the main motives to purchase this unit, because it guarantees that all documents are printed in the same format from any PostScript printer while others change formats by altering settings. Having a need for PostScript or not, though, the 6130/N is a good machine that is a practical pick for a humble workspace.
Xerox Phaser 6110MFP Color Laser Printer Review
The Xerox Phaser 6110MFP is a color laser printer that offers a wide range of options and facilities in one small machine. While this printer is not small by any stretch of the imagination, it is roughly the same size as most all in one printers, so you should have no problem finding the perfect spot in your office.
At the top of the Xerox Phaser, you will find a small tray that automatically feeds in papers to print, which will allow you to work elsewhere in your office. However, depending on the size of your printing jobs, you may have to frequently check back with the auto feeder, as it only holds 50 sheets of paper. Under the auto feeder, you will find a lid that covers the scanner.
If you want to control most of the Xerox Phaser 6110MFP color laser printers options away from your computer, you will find that it has 30 buttons that will allow you to do just that. Some of these dial functions include: fax controls, LCD display screen, control panel, and keys for the scan, copy and a fax number pad that will let you input fax or telephone numbers.
In this multifunction laser printer, you will be able to do direct printing. Connect a USB drive and begin printing specific files, letters and images without the use of your computer. Compatible image formats include JPEG, PDF, BMP, and TIFF. You can also save files from your printer to a USB drive by scanning and saving your documents to print or upload at a later time.
The Xerox Phaser 6110MFP color laser printer has enough power and features that makes it the perfect choice for small to medium office printing jobs. However, this can be difficult due to the small paper tray that will only hold 150 sheets of paper. This small size means that home business owners are more likely to buy this printer than a small business.
You can upgrade the paper tray, but this upgrade can only hold up to 400 sheets. While this may seem like a large capacity, it will not cover the amount of printing jobs that occur on a daily basis in most businesses large or small.
A multifunction printer such this Xerox Phaser usually has so many options that you will want to have a good manual to answer all of your questions. Xerox does not disappoint, and with the driver you will instruction manuals that cover topics such as overlays, watermarks and manual duplex printing.
While the Xerox Phaser 6110MFP color laser printer has a lot to offer, you may be disappointed with its printing speeds. Printing regular text and all black pages is not a problem and you can usually get approximately 8 pages per minute, but the color printing is where this all in one piece of machinery seems to fall apart.
The black printing is slow enough, but when you move on to colored pages, you will find that it is difficult for the Xerox Phaser to hit more than 3 pages per minute in its printing process. Officially, Xerox reports that this printer will allow you to print black pages at 16 pages per minute and colors at 4 pages per minute, and all of these speeds are incredibly slow compared to printers from competing companies.
Another problem with the Xerox Phaser 6110MFP color laser printer is the inability to get crisp clear printouts that you are seeking. Colored pictures, fonts and graphics seem ok at first but on closer inspection, you will notice that it lacks complete clarity. Print outs done in black will reveal a similar problem and all of this trouble points to an overuse of toner. While some printers will output colors so low that black ink looks grey, the Xerox Phaser 6110MFP color laser printer puts too much color onto the pages and this can cause some print jobs to be fuzzy and smudged. Depending on what you print, you may receive varied results. Some printouts may look perfect and others will need to go in the trash.
At the top of the Xerox Phaser, you will find a small tray that automatically feeds in papers to print, which will allow you to work elsewhere in your office. However, depending on the size of your printing jobs, you may have to frequently check back with the auto feeder, as it only holds 50 sheets of paper. Under the auto feeder, you will find a lid that covers the scanner.
If you want to control most of the Xerox Phaser 6110MFP color laser printers options away from your computer, you will find that it has 30 buttons that will allow you to do just that. Some of these dial functions include: fax controls, LCD display screen, control panel, and keys for the scan, copy and a fax number pad that will let you input fax or telephone numbers.
In this multifunction laser printer, you will be able to do direct printing. Connect a USB drive and begin printing specific files, letters and images without the use of your computer. Compatible image formats include JPEG, PDF, BMP, and TIFF. You can also save files from your printer to a USB drive by scanning and saving your documents to print or upload at a later time.
The Xerox Phaser 6110MFP color laser printer has enough power and features that makes it the perfect choice for small to medium office printing jobs. However, this can be difficult due to the small paper tray that will only hold 150 sheets of paper. This small size means that home business owners are more likely to buy this printer than a small business.
You can upgrade the paper tray, but this upgrade can only hold up to 400 sheets. While this may seem like a large capacity, it will not cover the amount of printing jobs that occur on a daily basis in most businesses large or small.
A multifunction printer such this Xerox Phaser usually has so many options that you will want to have a good manual to answer all of your questions. Xerox does not disappoint, and with the driver you will instruction manuals that cover topics such as overlays, watermarks and manual duplex printing.
While the Xerox Phaser 6110MFP color laser printer has a lot to offer, you may be disappointed with its printing speeds. Printing regular text and all black pages is not a problem and you can usually get approximately 8 pages per minute, but the color printing is where this all in one piece of machinery seems to fall apart.
The black printing is slow enough, but when you move on to colored pages, you will find that it is difficult for the Xerox Phaser to hit more than 3 pages per minute in its printing process. Officially, Xerox reports that this printer will allow you to print black pages at 16 pages per minute and colors at 4 pages per minute, and all of these speeds are incredibly slow compared to printers from competing companies.
Another problem with the Xerox Phaser 6110MFP color laser printer is the inability to get crisp clear printouts that you are seeking. Colored pictures, fonts and graphics seem ok at first but on closer inspection, you will notice that it lacks complete clarity. Print outs done in black will reveal a similar problem and all of this trouble points to an overuse of toner. While some printers will output colors so low that black ink looks grey, the Xerox Phaser 6110MFP color laser printer puts too much color onto the pages and this can cause some print jobs to be fuzzy and smudged. Depending on what you print, you may receive varied results. Some printouts may look perfect and others will need to go in the trash.
Samsung CLP-660ND Color Laser printer review
Samsung CLP-660ND Color Laser printer review
Compared to other laser printers, Samsung CLP-660ND is a bit cheaply priced. However there’s still lot of competition in this range too. It has the speed and the performance which you need for running your small business.
It has a good print rate of 19.8 pages/ minute. It also prints graphics at quite a good rate of 2.9 pages/ minute. The text appears great. The letters are formed nicely and appear dark black. Good quality text is a major highpoint of this printer. However the biggest disappointment with Samsung CLP-660ND is its graphics. They appear out of pattern and are of poor quality. The graphics aren’t good even when printed on the glossy laser paper.
Designed simply, the printer has an input tray which can hold up to 250 sheets. Accommodating legal size paper in this tray isn’t very easy though. There is also a 100 sheet multipurpose tray. The front panel and the handle for opening the multipurpose tray are located at the same place and hence it’s become difficult to distinguish the handle.
There are problems with opening the front panel; it doesn’t open up in one go.
The printer also has an output tray which can accommodate 200 sheets. However it might be unreachable for few, as its located at the rear end. An additional input tray of 500 sheets can also be added. You can also print labels and envelopes with this printer. It supports Windows, Linux and Mac OS X.
The control panel is done in a simple way. It has a monochrome LCD on which the menu is displayed. The buttons are clearly labeled. The messages displayed on the screen are clear and easy to understand. Samsung CLP-660ND has a smart panel monitor application. This gives information about troubleshooting, on screen status and various other things.
The printer comes with a 2500 page black ink cartridge. There are also three 2000 page colored cartridges- yellow, cyan and magenta. The high yield versions are also available which are a bit expensive. A 5500 page black ink cartridge can be bought down for $110; which approximates to 2 cents/ page. Each 5000 page color cartridge is worth $130; which costs around 2.6 cents/ page. You will need to replace the cartridges once the ink is over.
Installing the printer is easy; though initially it might look a bit confusing. You get a PDF user guide with this printer which contains all the details which you need to know for operating the Samsung CLP-660ND. The driver doesn’t contain too many details. The word is not too positive about the printer’s driver which has posed lots of problems in the past. However Samsung has assured to rectify the problem soon.
In spite of being a decent printer, Samsung CLP-660ND doesn’t score well in reliability ratings. In the reliability and service survey, this printer got a rating of ‘better than average’; which isn’t too good. This is one of its major drawbacks. Of course its biggest drawback is its poor graphics quality. You should buy this printer only if your work doesn’t involve too many graphical print outs.
All in all this is a good printer with decent design and speed. Its black text is easy to read even at small font sizes. However its poor graphics may limit its use in many centers!
Compared to other laser printers, Samsung CLP-660ND is a bit cheaply priced. However there’s still lot of competition in this range too. It has the speed and the performance which you need for running your small business.
It has a good print rate of 19.8 pages/ minute. It also prints graphics at quite a good rate of 2.9 pages/ minute. The text appears great. The letters are formed nicely and appear dark black. Good quality text is a major highpoint of this printer. However the biggest disappointment with Samsung CLP-660ND is its graphics. They appear out of pattern and are of poor quality. The graphics aren’t good even when printed on the glossy laser paper.
Designed simply, the printer has an input tray which can hold up to 250 sheets. Accommodating legal size paper in this tray isn’t very easy though. There is also a 100 sheet multipurpose tray. The front panel and the handle for opening the multipurpose tray are located at the same place and hence it’s become difficult to distinguish the handle.
There are problems with opening the front panel; it doesn’t open up in one go.
The printer also has an output tray which can accommodate 200 sheets. However it might be unreachable for few, as its located at the rear end. An additional input tray of 500 sheets can also be added. You can also print labels and envelopes with this printer. It supports Windows, Linux and Mac OS X.
The control panel is done in a simple way. It has a monochrome LCD on which the menu is displayed. The buttons are clearly labeled. The messages displayed on the screen are clear and easy to understand. Samsung CLP-660ND has a smart panel monitor application. This gives information about troubleshooting, on screen status and various other things.
The printer comes with a 2500 page black ink cartridge. There are also three 2000 page colored cartridges- yellow, cyan and magenta. The high yield versions are also available which are a bit expensive. A 5500 page black ink cartridge can be bought down for $110; which approximates to 2 cents/ page. Each 5000 page color cartridge is worth $130; which costs around 2.6 cents/ page. You will need to replace the cartridges once the ink is over.
Installing the printer is easy; though initially it might look a bit confusing. You get a PDF user guide with this printer which contains all the details which you need to know for operating the Samsung CLP-660ND. The driver doesn’t contain too many details. The word is not too positive about the printer’s driver which has posed lots of problems in the past. However Samsung has assured to rectify the problem soon.
In spite of being a decent printer, Samsung CLP-660ND doesn’t score well in reliability ratings. In the reliability and service survey, this printer got a rating of ‘better than average’; which isn’t too good. This is one of its major drawbacks. Of course its biggest drawback is its poor graphics quality. You should buy this printer only if your work doesn’t involve too many graphical print outs.
All in all this is a good printer with decent design and speed. Its black text is easy to read even at small font sizes. However its poor graphics may limit its use in many centers!
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