MyTime Calendars

We know it’s a little early for Valentines Day, but we couldn’t resist sharing this with you! We wish we could give credit to the original author of this research but regardless, the message is the same. A group of people posed the following question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds…

‘What does love mean?’

The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:

‘When my grandmother got arthritis , she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore.. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.’
-Rebecca, age 8

‘When someone loves you , the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.’ -Billy – age 4

‘Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.’ -Karl, age 5

‘Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.’ -Chrissy, age 6

‘Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.’ -Terri, age 4

‘Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him , to make sure the taste is OK.’ -Danny, age 7

‘Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss’ -Emily, age 8

‘Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.’ – Bobby, age 7 (Wow!)

‘If you want to learn to love better , you should start with a friend who you hate.’ – Nikka, age 6
(we need a few million more Nikka’s on this planet)

‘Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt , then he wears it everyday.’ – Noelle, age 7

‘Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.’ – Tommy, age 6

‘During my piano recital , I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn’t scared anymore.’ -Cindy, age 8

‘My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.’ - Clare, age 6

‘Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.’ - Elaine, age 5

‘Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford .’ – Chris, age 7

‘Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.’ -Mary Ann, age 4

‘I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.’ – Lauren, age 4

‘When you love somebody , your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.’ – (what an image) Karen, age 7

‘Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn’t think it’s gross..’ -Mark, age 6

‘You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it , you should say it a lot. People forget.’ -Jessica, age 8

And the final one

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said…

‘Nothing , I just helped him cry’

What wonderful lessons our children can teach us if we just open our hearts and pay attention! Happy early valentines day everyone!

Tags: Family and Home, parenting, toddlers
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Our Halloween book suggestions were so popular that we wanted to follow up with some great suggestions for your little ones for Christmas time! Here are some of our favorites and a few new finds for this holiday season. Read your tots into the holiday spirit and bring some of the magic of great stories into your home!…

“Night Tree” by Eve Bunting
This book was a new find for us this year. With great illustrations by Ted Rand, this story gives an account of a families tradition of venturing out into the woods to find “their tree” which they then decorate with popcorn strings, apples and other fun edibles. They drink hot cocoa and sing songs around the tree before heading in for the evening. The kids dream of the many animals that have Christmas dinner around their tree.

“Room for a Little One” by Martin Waddell
Brilliantly illustrated by Jason Cockcroft, this short but very touching tale gives the story of the first Christmas from the animals perspective as they each make room for a new “little one” this very special night. As the Kind Ox maintains throughout the story, “there’s always room for a little one here”.

“The Legend of the Christmas Tree” by Rick Osborne
If your little ones have ever wondered why we have Christmas Trees, this small board book adapted by Pat Matuszak and illustrated by Bill Dodge gives an account of how the evergreen tree became a symbol of Christmas as well as a way to tell people about God.

“Merry Creature Christmas” by Dandi Daley Mackall
It’s Christmas Eve, and all the animals in the forest are decorating the trees, hanging icicles, and building a nativity to celebrate the birth of Jesus. But Star, a wild colt, is too joyful to be still and decides to wake up Big Bear! Soon all the animals are dancing together on the night of the Creature Christmas! A very fun book that has an accompanying narrative and great rhyming cadence for your little ones!

“Santa’s First Flight” by Sam Beeson
This is a very fun spin on the traditional night before Christmas which takes place during Santa’s first year, when he traveled by penguin, and not by reindeer! Playfully and richly illustrated by Tom Tolman, this story will have your kiddo’s giggling at Santa’s crazy penguin crew that helped set the tone for the first Christmas sleigh ride and create the true spirit of Christmas!

We have many more suggestions for you but these are a few of our favorites to get you started! Check back for more suggestions and we would love to hear from our readers about some of their favorite books! Send your suggestions to info@mytimecalendars.com with subject “Christmas Books for Tots” and maybe some of your favorites will work their way into our next post!

Tags: education, entertainment, Family and Home, holiday activities, product reviews, toddlers
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Tags: Family and Home, free stuff, homemaking, parenting, safety, toddlers
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The toddler slide is an ever popular attraction!

If you’re like us, you have bid farewell to your older kids for the better part of the morning as they march back to school and you watch sadly as your littlest ones roam the house wondering where all their playmates went! Well, we would like to help inject some excitement back into these little ones worlds with two days devoted just to toddlers at Jump and Shout!

If you’ve never been to Jump and Shout!, then you have definitely missed out! It is exactly what it’s name implies…a fun place for your kids to literally jump and shout their way through various inflatable bounce zones, climbing gyms and soft obstacles. And every Monday and Wedensday morning from 10:00-11:30, they have dedicated their play areas to our toddlers, ages 4 and under!

This is one of the many climbing areas available to kids at Jump and Shout!

The price for this playtime is $5.00 per child (under 2 are free with a playing guest so get your friends together and come in groups!). Adults are always free. You’d think that the play zones would be entertainment enough but no!  They have arranged for a variety of activities that vary by the day such as crafts, games, bubble time, story time and more! It’s a great opportunity for your toddler to socialize while the big kids are in school.

And in case you are on the hunt for a birthday party site, this has now become the birthday pavilion of choice for all of my kids, young and old. They truly have something for every age. And shhhh!…don’t tell your kiddos, but there’s also a quiet room where parents can sit and work or read while still having their kids in full view as they play! It’s Utopia!

Jump and Shout is located at 1061 N. Dobson Road, Suite 110 in Mesa, AZ and you can reach them at 480-834-7529 or visit their website for the location nearest you and to keep tabs on upcoming specials and promotionals at www.jumpandshout.com.

Tags: Family and Home, fun, toddlers
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It means so much to our kids when we display their artwork in our home. It can boost their morale, help them feel appreciated and contribute to their confidence in succeeding. But sometimes, we look at our cluttered walls and wonder, “what would this look like if it weren’t covered in scribbles?!” Well, one of our subscribers, Meggin, found a wonderful fun compromise!…

She started with your basic set of fingerpaints, large paper and of course, her two toddlers! She let the kids go nuts outside with the various colors of fingerpaint. Along with their crazy splashing across the page, each toddler thought it fun to make their own handprints on different pieces of paper as well. Once it was dry, she noticed some really fun coloring combinations along with some interesting lines in her little ones artwork. She had some extra frames and decided to see what they looked like. Then she found the pages with the handprints on them and had one of those “lightbulb” moments! She cut out the handprints, framed the large pages and placed the handprint on top of the matted artwork. She finished it off with each childs name and date and voilá! She had a beautiful piece of memorable artwork to perch on her wall that not only looked nice, but was a great positive reminder to her and her little ones of the days fun and the creative powers of those little minds!  Thanks for sharing, Meggin!

If you or someone you know has a great craft or creative activity for young children, please submit them to us at info@mytimecalendars.com with subject line of “creative fun”.

Tags: arts and crafts for kids, Crafts, easy crafts, Family and Home, homemaking, toddlers
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Does your child struggle with behavior concepts? Perhaps numbers or letters are particularly difficult for them? Or maybe you just want your little one to feel extra loved and appreciated? All these are reasons to give Personal Child Stories a call!

Little Sammy was one of the inspirations behind Personal Child Stories

Personal Child Stories was begun specifically to address all of theses questions. The company owner, writer and designer, Shara Lawrence-Weiss is a journalist, early childhood specialist, experienced nanny and freelance writer who is also experienced in special needs children from a firsthand perspective. She has taken this diverse background and combined her many skills along with a passion for reading into a wonderful positive learning tool for children of all ages. Her books are custom designed for each individual child with pictures, story line and theme centered around each childs particular needs.

I had to see this for myself! I recently received some samples of her product and was most impressed! Her books come in two sizes, 5×5 for smaller children and 8.5×9 for older children. Trust me when I say that these books are meant to last! Each page is laminated and the book is spiral bound for easy page turning. The result is a sturdy book that will hold up to drooling, chewing, throwing, stepping on, and just about any other rough treatment your toddler can imagine! The pages will not tear, can be written or colored on and then can be wiped clean again with a damp cloth to look brand new again!

From babies to toddlers to even older children, Personal Child Stories inspire and teach all ages!

Storylines are completely customized and used in conjunction with actual submitted photos of the child to fit each childs individual need, situation or desired learning concept. She works closely with parents to accomplish this. Her alphabet book and counting book samples were a huge hit with my little toddler! She loved flipping through the book again and again, counting the pictures and pointing out the letters of the alphabet!…of course that was after I had exhausted my patience answering numerous requests to “read it again, mommy!”. The counting book was especially neat because it not only had a cute rhyming lilt to it but it also showed the numbers in Spanish, English, and sign language!

As a graphic designer of over 12 years experience, I can attest to the life-changing impact that strong images and well written copy can have on people of all ages. Shara has combined both in her product and I would highly recommend these books to anyone looking to teach their children through the power of positive reinforcement.

If you would like to learn more about obtaining your own personalized book for your child, visit Shara at www.personalchildstories.com

Tags: arts and crafts for kids, education, Family and Home, parenting, product reviews, toddlers
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By Dr. Cara Natterson for Sniffle Solutions

Headache pain in the neck and forehead can be attributed to a variety of factors. A common trigger is allergies, which are usually accompanied by itchy, watery eyes and a runny nose with clear mucus. When you have an allergic reaction, your body releases histamines, which kick up mucus production. That’s why your nose runs and your eyes get watery. It’s also why fluid collects in places it wouldn’t normally, like your sinuses, causing pressure, which can lead to a headache. Antihistamines and nasal irrigation systems like neti pots are generally the go-to treatments for headaches related to allergies.

Your son’s headache pain might also indicate a sinus infection, which could be caused by a cold as well as allergies. Sinus infection symptoms often include a runny nose with greenish mucus, pain with a tap on the cheek or forehead, and sometimes fever. Once you get a sinus infection, you typically have to treat it with antibiotics in addition to treating whatever caused it, though nasal irrigation systems can sometimes clear up an infection without medication.

Headaches can be caused by a host of other things as well, like a toothache or even poor vision. Parents often don’t think to ask whether their child can make out details on the chalkboard or movie screen, because they don’t realize that kids who need glasses often complain of headache pain due to eye fatigue.

Without an examination, it’s
difficult to say for sure what’s causing your son’s headache pain. See his
primary health care provider, who can figure out exactly what’s wrong and treat
it accordingly.

Tags: Family and Home, homemaking, parenting, toddlers
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If you’re an Arizonan, you know exactly where this article is coming from! Those of us sweltering away in the Arizona summer are on the prowl again for some summer fun that does not involve melting away in the afternoon heat! So we’ve got a few ideas for those of you looking for excursions with your kiddos that will wear them out well before the afternoon sun begins to beat us into submission! Incidentally, we’ve included some pricing here but if you want to get in some of these places for free, get to your local library and check out a “Culture Pass“!

The Phoenix Zoo has welcomed two new baby zebras along with a host of other new little ones!

Visit the Phoenix Zoo! If you have never been to this locale before, then it is definitely time! And if you’ve visited enough to say, “we’ve seen it all!”, then we’ve got news for ya…you haven’t! The Phoenix Zoo has welcomed a slew of new babies into their midst. Zebras, marmosets, big horn sheep and even a couple of year old giraffes have joined the crew. Plus, their new summer hours make it a much more enjoyable experience for all. They open now at 7:00am (or 6:00am if you’re a member) and close at 2:00pm on the weekdays and 4:00pm on the weekends. Enjoy the animal encounters throughout the morning, pack a lunch for a picnic with the monkeys at monkey island, and then cool off at the refreshing waterfall, waterslide and splash pads of Yakulla Caverns before departing for a welcomed afternoon nap! Admission is $16.00 for adults (ages 13 and up) and $7.00 per child (ages 3-12).

Check out the brand new Sea Life Aquarium at Arizona Mills Mall!

Visit Arizona Mills Mall for a unique experience at their Sea LIfe Arizona Aquarium! You can enter through the mall but once inside, kids will see an underwater playground where thousands of marine animals are shown in 12 distinct habitats. You will even be able to walk through a 360-degree tunneled walkway  directly through a massive tank full of schools of tropical fish, rays and sharks as they swim above, below and all around you! There is a children’s play area, video room and educational center. You can purchase day admission tickets, flex passes, and memberships. A day pass will run you $9.50 for kids 3-12,and $17.50 for adults (these are the online prices which are slightly cheaper than buying at the door).

Think the library is just for reading? Guess again!

Think the library is just for reading? Guess again! Our Public Libraries not only have a great summer readers program for kids, but they’ve also got some fun events you might want to put into your calendars!…

• Every wednesday (except June 16th) from 10:30-11:30am, the Main Library offers Toddler Time for Ages 24 through 36 months and their parents/cargivers (siblings welcomed). 20 minutes of stories, songs and fingerplay fun especially for Toddlers! (Limited to the first 50 people)
• June 8, 1:00-2:00pm (Main Library) Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium activity…Wonders of the Water: Learn about and meet some cool aquatic and semi-aquatic animals. Also available on June 24th, same time, at the Red Mountain Branch as well as June 30th at the Dobson Ranch Branch.
• June 9, 10:30-11:30am (Dobson Ranch Branch)…Join the puppeteers for a performance of the classic fairy tale Rapunzel. And at 1:30, bring your older kids to try their hand at making their own “ball” book!
• June 10, 1:00-2:00pm (Red Mountain Branch)…kids of all ages will have a blast with the crafts and bubble blowing at this event! You can catch this event at the Main Library June 15 from 10:30-11:30am or June 16 at Dobson Ranch Branch, same time.
• June 19, 1:00-3:00pm (Red Mountain Branch)…great opportunity to get your video game addicts out of the living room and into a library! On the 3rd Saturday of each month, the Red Mountain Branch will test your skills on their Wii along with board games and fun for ages 4-18.
• June 26, 1:30-3:30pm (Main Library, Dobson Ranch Branch, and Red Mountain Branch)…In case you’ve been living under a rock for the last few months, you might not be aware of the Eclipse movie coming to theaters at the end of this month. Join the Library in celebrating this books release to theaters with Twilight trivia games for prizes (such as Harkins movie tickets, drink cups, and popcorn coupons), raffles for a book purse made from the Eclipse hardback, dress like your favorite Twilight character (JUST BECAUSE!), sink your teeth into some snacks and if you’re into preparing a little, make and wear your own Twilight-themed T-shirt to enter the “Wear Your Own Twilight T-shirt” contest to win a copy of Eclipse!
• June 28, 1:00-2:00pm (Main Library)…Express your artistic side through the art of silk screen printing. Learn the basics and create a cool t-shirt (supplies and t-shirt provided)!

Looking for some free books for your kids? Barnes and Noble can help! Sign up at any location for their readers program! Just download their Readers Passport to record your child’s progress. Once your child reads 8 books, they get to choose one for free from their local Barnes and Noble!

Well, that should hopefully get you started! Maybe we’ll see you somewhere along the way! Enjoy your kiddos while they’re at home and don’t forget to mark your planned activities on your child’s personalized calendar so they can look forward to and remember all the fun you have this month!

Tags: arts and crafts for kids, Calendaring Tips, Crafts, education, entertainment, Family and Home, free stuff, fun, toddlers
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I have a child that has been diagnosed with “Reactive  Airway Disease” which is a fancy way of saying “asthma”. He was placed on the medication Singulair when he was 5 yrs old, among others, which seemed to help his symptoms a great deal. It has been several years and we have found that we have been able to take him off of all the asthma medications now but one…Singulair. While this medication has noticeably reduced his asthmatic tendencies, we found there was one unusual side affect. We noticed that we were beginning to have frequent bed wetting issues again. This sincerely upset my little one because it was not something that he consciously did. He would wake up very sad that it had happened. We were surprised since it had been nearly 3 years since we had had to deal with this. It seemed odd that it’s recurrence coincided with the use of the Singulair. This was not a connection that I made on my own but linked the two after talking to several parents that surprisingly were having similar issues. Interestingly enough, we had all been giving the Singulair to our children in the evening. Once we changed the dosage to the morning, the bed wetting stopped!

As I began to research this phenomenon, I discovered that I was far from alone in these observations.  While there is no conclusive evidence available to support the link between bed wetting and Singulair usage, there are many parents out there that have observed these same effects. If your child has to be on the drug Singulair and is having issues with bed wetting, I would encourage parents to experiment with giving it at a different time of day. For us, dosing in the morning rather than the evening made all the difference. I hope this discovery can help other young children dealing with this difficult issue.

Tags: Family and Home, health, parenting, safety, toddlers
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1. If I like it, it’s mine.
2. If it’s in my hand, it’s mine.
3. If I had it a little while ago, it’s mine.
4. If it looks just like mine, it’s mine.
5. If I think it’s mine, it’s mine!

Tags: education, Family and Home, fun, parenting, toddlers
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