Debi Taylor-Hough

Bright-Kids
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Vol. 4, No. 12 - June 18th, 2007
http://hometown.aol.com/brightkidsrus
mailto: debi@simplemom.com
Copyright 2007 Deborah Taylor-Hough
ISSN: 1536-0466 All Rights Reserved
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Subscribe: join-bright-kids@hub.thedollarstretcher.com
***: leave-bright-kids@hub.thedollarstretcher.com
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IN THIS ISSUE:
-- "Dear Readers"
-- Quote-able
-- A Kid's Guide to Becoming a Writer
-- Computer Education for Kids
-- Reader Tips
-- Assorted Information (resources, archives, etc.)
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< < O U R . S P O N S O R > >

-- "I Never Should Have Tolerated It!" --

Mary was angry. She was losing her husband to divorce. Why?
Lack of money -- the debt was out of control. Hurtful things were
said. Her relationship with her husband declined and never recovered.
It's sad, really. But not uncommon. Not at all. Did you know over
70% of marriages that end in divorce are due to financial difficulties.
If your marriage is suffering because of a high debt load, you need to
do something about it NOW. Not tomorrow. Not next week. If you wait
any longer, you may be bankrupt, divorced or both. My name is Clint
Holland. I've developed a system that anyone can use to pay off all
their debt, including the mortgage, in just 3 - 5 years -- without
bankruptcy, debt consolidation, or any unethical tactics. Will you
let me help you? Member BBB.

http://www.debt-free-in-three.com/BrightKids.asp
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Dear Readers ...

I'm beginning the process of moving the back articles from Bright-Kids
onto a new website. With several years of back issues to work through,
it'll be awhile until they're all there. If you'd like to browse what's
already been added, you can find the beginnings of the new site at:

http://brightkids.wordpress.com

Also, it's time for a bit of delayed Spring cleaning at my house -- I
decided to clear out some of my used books on eBay. Wanna buy a book? :-)

Current listings:

--Cut Your Spending in Half Without Settling for Less (Rodale Press)
--Illustrated Discovery Journal (Sarah Ban Breathnach)
--The Wizard of Oz (Illustrated children’s edition)
--What Your Second Grader Needs to Know (E.D. Hirsch)
--What Your Third Grader Needs to Know (E.D. Hirsch)
--The Children's Book of Virtues (William J. Bennett)
--You Read to Me & I'll Read to You (20th Century Stories to Share)
--Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes (Illustrated hardcover)
--Adventures in Art (Susan Milord)
--The American Girls Party Book (AmericanGirls Library)
--The Quiz Book 3 (AmericanGirls Library)

... and more to come!

Debi's Ebay Store
http://stores.ebay.com/Simple-Pleasures-Books-and-Gifts

Simply Yours,

--Debi
(Deborah Taylor-Hough)
Editor, Bright-Kids Email Newsletter
--Author of the popular 'Frozen Assets' cookbook series, 'A Simple
Choice,' and 'Frugal Living For Dummies(r)'
--Editor, Simple Times and Bright-Kids email newsletters

http://brightkids.wordpress.com
http://thesimplemom.wordpress.com
http://my.tupperware.com/debihough
http://dsimple.wordpress.com/
________________________________

QUOTABLE

"A couple who make a good marriage, and raise healthy, morally
competent children, are serving the world's future more directly
and surely than any political leader, though they never utter a
public word."

--Wendell Berry
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A KID'S GUIDE TO BECOMING A WRITER
Copyright Stephenie Hovland
Used with permission from EzineArticles.com.
All rights reserved.

Many young writers get excited about seeing their words in print.
It's natural. You did all the hard work (which was actually kind of
fun!) and then saw it printed. Not only did you like it, but others
did, too. So, what's the next step to writing something other than
an assignment?

First, you need to make sure you keep reading. Take time every
day, if possible, to read books. Read about writing, like these two
books by Marion Dane Bauer: Our Stories: a Fiction Workshop for
Young Authors, and What's Your Story? A Young Person's Guide
to Writing Fiction. Dive into many other books as well. You definitely
should read books that are similar to what you like to write, but
don't stop there. You will see how different kinds of books fill your
brain with new story ideas and writing techniques.

Second, see if you can find other kids who like to write, too. Maybe
a teacher will help you organize a writing group. The idea behind this
is that you will all write what you want, on your own time, not for an
assignment. Then, bring your writing to the group meeting (once or
twice a month.) Pass the writing around, giving everyone about five
to ten minutes to read each person's manuscript. Make notes on it,
helping out with spelling, description, plot, etc. Be careful that you
aren't too harsh. Make suggestions, but don't ever tell someone else
their writing is bad. Share what you like and what needs a little help.

Third, check out some writing websites for kids. HarperTeen.com
contains a cool site for teen writers. Smartwriters.com has a section
devoted to young writers. TheWriteSource.com is from a textbook
publisher, but is a great resource if you dig through the site. If you
search Scholastic.com for a section called "Write It," you will find
ways to improve your writing, chat with other young writers, and
even get published. Search for sites that don't make you pay to
get published. Be careful. There are many scams that will accept
anything you write, then make you pay for a big book full of many
writers' work. Here's the catch: They make you feel special, saying
you've been chosen from among many people for a special edition
of the book. The truth is that they will take any writing, good or bad,
and they tell everyone the same thing. That doesn't make you feel
very special, does it?

If you do these three things, you will see your writing abilities get
better and better. Of course, you have to write (a lot!) to see your
writing improve. So, don't forget to keep reading, writing, and sharing
your writing with others.

Visit Stephenie's site http://faith-filled.com/Faith-filled_Journal.html
for more ideas for kids.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephenie_Hovland
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< < O U R . S P O N S O R > >

Learning Through History Back Issue Sale - Save an Extra 10%!

We need to clear out our warehouse to make room for our
upcoming move! To help empty the shelves, we are offering
an extra 10% off already discounted back issues. Each back
issue has 64 pages of articles, arts and crafts, activities
and much more on a single historical topic for students
aged 10 - up to adult. Choose from many topics such as:
Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome, The American Civil War, The
Byzantine Empire and Tsarist Russia to name a few in our
large selection of historical topics.

To receive the discount, please enter this special coupon
code during checkout through June 30: BK-NEWS0607

Visit: http://www.LearningThroughHistory.com/store
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COMPUTER EDUCATION FOR KIDS
Copyright Nicole Munoz
Used with permission from EzineArticles.com.
All rights reserved.

Computers have become a common and needed part of life in
today's society, making computer education imperative for children.
Young children will typically begin to show an interest in the home
PC by their toddler years. While it is may be a good idea to begin
introducing your toddler to the computer in very short sessions,
most children can began to learn and understand a computer's
functionality by preschool age.

Preschool age children can learn to turn the computer on by them-
selves and will quickly learn to operate the mouse. Simple games
that teach and reinforce basic school readiness skills are great for
this age. Computer education for preschool age children should be
limited to short sessions of about 30 minutes a few times a week.

Many childcare facilities offer computer time as part of their weekly
curriculum for preschoolers. Structured games and activities give
young children an opportunity to explore the way a computer works.
Games that require dragging objects across the screen are excellent
for building mouse skills in beginner users. Chose age-appropriate
software and websites that involve alphabet and color recognition,
shapes, counting, or short stories that are read aloud. Activities
that feature music are also enjoyable for a preschooler’s computer
time.

Kindergartners are normally still exploring the basics of computer
use and will probably do best with activities that reinforce simple
skills. As children become more comfortable with the computer,
more complex games and activities can be introduced. Computer
education for kindergartners typically consists of short sessions
of no more than an hour, playing games that correlate with their
classroom learning material.

By first grade, children have usually gained a good understanding
of how to use a mouse and they are learning to use keyboard letters
to type. Games like Typing Instructor for Kids can help young children
become fast and efficient computer users. Early elementary age
children are ready to move beyond simple reinforcement and skill
drill activities to the many different functions of a computer.

First through third graders should use the computer as a supplement
for their classroom work. A student studying about stars and p***ts
can use the internet to search for pictures and information about
constellations. An assignment about Africa can include a search for
videos of African animals. Allow your child to work on his own, but
stay close by to prevent access to inappropriate content and to answer
any questions.

Software programs that allow children to create, like an art or publishing
suite designed specifically for kids, can boost creativity along with
providing exposure to technology. Grade level skills can also be practiced
and enhanced with math, reading, and spelling computer games. There
are a number of kid-friendly websites that provide search engines, games,
and interaction opportunities.

Computer education for children should also include writing and creative
writing activities. First graders are beginning to familiarize themselves
with the keyboard and can write short letters or emails. By second and
third grade, children can use word processor programs or writing software
designed for children to write and publish their own short stories and
poems, as well as use email to write to relatives.

For more tips and information about 22 Baby Einstein Titles, check out
http://www.thekidstoystore.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nicole_Munoz
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READERS WRITE /READERS' TIPS
Submitted by Bright-Kids' readers.
Send your tips to: dsimple@aol.com

Re: Summer craft camp
With summer vacation fast approaching, our school has sent
home advertisements from many week-long camps in the area.
Thinking a whole week, full-time camp would be too intense for
our six year-old and three year-old (and leave no time for relaxing)
I began brainstorming. We have many friends with children in the
same age range as ours, and would love to spend time with them,
and would also love to do some great crafts. The perfect combination?
A mom-lead home-based craft camp! Once a week we will meet at
the host family's home, where a structured craft will be awaiting us.
We'll follow with a bag lunch together then some free play time.
Each week the host will change, so will the backyard toys! The
best part is that I am only responsible for planning one or two crafts
all summer, yet my kids get to do a different craft and get to spend
time with their friends each week. With this "camp" we've still got
time for beach days, hanging around the house days, camping in
the backyard, and library story hours. This is our first year, and
we're still planning the details, but I think it should be great fun.
--Robin S.

* * Your Tips? * *
Do you have some great family fun, educational, or parenting
tips/ideas you'd love to share with other parents and caregivers?
Just send your tips and ideas to Debi at Bright-Kids:
DSimple@aol.com
______________________________

READ-ALOUD BOOKS FOR FAMILIES:

http://charlottemasoneducation.wordpress.com/2007/05/30/literature-by-grade/

Recommended books for children and families
(This is a great list to print out and hand to your kids'
grandparents for suggestions at gift-giving times!) :-)
_______________________________

A special thanks to Gary Foreman and the friendly folks at
The Dollar Stretcher for making this mailing list possible! :-)
http://www.stretcher.com/
_______________________________

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Subject line: bright-kids
Discover the modest rates for reaching this targeted market.
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BRIGHT-KIDS ARCHIVES

For a list of most back issues of the Bright-Kids Email
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DEBI'S RESOURCES:
Debi's Blog: http://dsimple.wordpress.com/
Used Books: http://stores.ebay.com/Simple-Pleasures-Books-and-Gifts
Frugality/Simplicity: http://thesimplemom.wordpress.com
Cooking Ahead: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/frozen-assets
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Personal Webpage: http://simplemom.com/
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Bright-Kids - 06/18/07 - Computer education; becoming a writer