Living

Winter is here. For most of us, this means that the busiest time of the year has come. After they have consumed all their Thanksgiving turkey and polished off their great grandmother’s famous pie, most people face the month-long preparation for Christmas and New Year. For me, it signals the beginning of holiday decorations, the endless hunt for the perfect gift for my friends and the seemingly growing list of nieces and nephews, followed by the gift-wrapping sessions, which I actually enjoy.

Having done this for many years, I can say that I’m quite knowledgeable when it comes to brainstorming and ultimately choosing the ideal gift for a loved one. I’m saying that on the premise that I have not received complaints so far in that department, but still, I have been able to shop (and make) holiday gifts for the people closest to me without having to argue with another shopper on who should get the last toy truck available, so I feel that I can at least share with you some ideas when it comes to these things. In this article, I shall list three holiday gift ideas that keep your loved ones warm and comfy during the holidays.

1. Hot cocoa mix in a jar – This one is pretty simple, yet the thought counts. And yes, I do mean it counts. Afterall, there’s nothing like the all chocolaty goodness of hot cocoa to melt the chill in your bones this season. Look for a hot cocoa mix recipe as well as a cute printable gift tag online, find a jar to put the mix into and get a cherry red (or whatever color you prefer) ribbon. Adding chocolate chips with your marshmallows is absolutely decadent. To keep it pretty, layer the milk, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, marshmallows and chocolate chips carefully – it’s really nice to look at inside a clear jar. Close the lid well, tie the ribbon, attach the gift tag and you have a sweet and thoughtful gift for your friends.
2. Sweaters and scarves – Okay, I will admit this is kind of old as far as gift ideas are concerned and I certainly don’t want to you, dear readers, to end up like Molly Weasley who could only afford to gift sweaters, but I still find a certain warmth when I open the box and see a lovely scarf or sweater inside. It is classic and rather timeless and I have to admit, it’s still a favorite of mine.
3. Quilts / Quilted blanket – When I think of quilted blankets, my mind immediately thinks of the patchwork quilts that I have adored when I was a child. There is something so adorable and homey about patchwork quilts that it brings back a much simpler time. However, you can always spice up your patchwork quilt by using band shirts of your loved ones favorite bands or just like Bella Swan’s mom in Twilight, use the shirts from the places you have visited with that person. You have to admit, the memories that one blanket can bring you are priceless.

There you have it dear readers – three gift ideas that literally keep your loved ones warm during the season. Whether you choose to stick with the classics when you give a scarf or you prefer to give a laptop or tablet, do remember that the real meaning of giving is more than just in its price tag, but your willingness and desire to provide some cheer into your loved ones this holiday season.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a division of the U.S. Department of Education states that children that are read by a parent or guardian develop stronger reading skills than those whose parents do not read to them.  The advantages these children develop over the course of their lives are significant.

The children that are engaged by their parents in any literacy activity, are better prepared when they enter kindergarten, and are able to cope with the academic rigors that have become standard in the United States.

Many of the literacy activities are easily done by a parent, guardian, or older sibling.  Reading or telling stories, teaching letters and words, and recognizing numbers are some of the most  basic activities that these children can be engaged  in to become proficient readers.

Some studies suggest that the literacy rate in the United States hasn’t changed in the last ten years, while other studies have shown that among the 20 “high Income” countries, the United States ranks 12th. 

Literacy in the United States is a serious problem that is easily overlooked during these uncertain times. In this country, there are 44 million adults unable to read a simple book or story to their children, and  60% of households in the United States do not or cannot buy a single book in a year. With these grim statistics, literacy in this country have to begin at home regardless.

Children of families that lack the means necessary to foster a love for reading or books, should not be an excuse to let these children fall thru the crack of  an educational system that is failing them.  By helping these families find other means to help their children to read, we can do a lot of good for our society as a whole.

Libraries across the country, offer programs that help introduce children to story time sessions and by doing so, helping them get involved in books. By the time these five year olds go to kindergarten, an emphasis should be put in reading to them and with them.

The statistics of school youth unable to read the most basic books and still graduating from high school are appalling. We need to expect more from them, and as a society, we need to help them achieve the most basic of skills of all. Reading is obviously not for everyone.

There are obvious times your dog may be sick.  It is vomiting repeatedly.  It is not eating at all.  It is sleeping a lot more.  It is whimpering when you touch them or they get up.  But often times there are more subtle signs your dog needs to be taken to the veterinarian’s office.  Remember they cannot talk to you so you need to keep an eye on them for obvious, and less obvious signs of problems.

We talked to Dr. Steve Hicks of Akron Medina Veterinary Hospital, located in the Medina, Montrose, Fairlwawn area to find out 10 hidden signs your dog may need to go to the veterinarian.

1. 1. Eating Less – If your dog is eating less than usual for more than a day or two it could be a sign of something more serious.
   2. Eye / Vision Change – If you notice the eyes changing or notice your dog is having trouble finding treats or food, it is time to see a vet.
   3. Change in Exercise – If your dog is not interested in the same level of exercise it is time to go to a vets.
   4. Signs of Aging – Just because a dog is getting older and exhibiting signs of aging does not mean the dog cannot bounce back with some medical care or treatment.  Often people think this is not treatable but at the very least dogs can be made more comfortable.
   5. More Frequent Urination – Dogs that start urinating more could have a kidney problem and should be looked at by a veterinarian to check for kidney disease.
   6. Low Grade Cough – One sign that is often overlooked is a low grade cough.  It does not have to be a loud cough.  Even an infrequent cough can be a sign of heart disease and should be checked out.
   7. Not liking hard food anymore – If your dog seems to no longer like harder food and treats this is often a sign of gum disease.  Poor dental health can lead to losing teeth and other issues and should be treated by a vet.
   8. Slower Movement – If your dog is moving more slowly it could be a sign of arthritis.  There are over the counter and prescribed treatments for this and you should not let your dog suffer when there is a treatment that can relieve the pain.
   9. Panting More – A dog that is panting more but otherwise still looks happy might be in pain.  This is one of the ways dogs exhibit pain or stress.
   10. Any Change In Habit – Ultimately, being on the look out for any change in habit is important.  Losing weight could be serious.  Gaining Weight could be serious.  Not responding to sounds like before could be serious.  Changes should always be taken seriously and discussed with a veterinarian.

If you are not sure, you can always give your veterinarian a call and ask about worrying symptoms and see if they think your dog needs to be seen.  Catching a problem early can save you and your dog more serious problems later on.  And saves you the uncertainty and worry when you notice something just not right but at the same time not an obvious sign of distress.

Do you have children that are struggling with math at school?  Don’t worry, you are not alone. In a recent study done by the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) which measures reading, science and math ability between 15-year-olds from 71 developed and developing countries, children in the United States ranked 38th in math and 24th in science.

Among its peers, the United States spends more in education than those at the top, and the results are clearly nothing to brag about. Our children are falling behind.

So, clearly, we need to do something about it.  Where to start though?  Most schools in this country are not doing a good job teaching science, math or technology- the results speak for themselves- as parents, we have left the teaching of these important subjects to the schools for too long without expecting accountability.  Our children are failing math and passing to the next grade without mastering the basic of algebra, trigonometry or calculus. By the time college looms near, math is a subject most teens in this country dread about. They are getting accepted into college and put into remedial math they should have learned during junior and high school.

If you google “math help” on your computer, you will get about 251,000,000 results in less than a second. Will that help? Doubtful.  You can spend days going through all the sites to see which ones offer math for free, which ones are worth paying for, or which ones will give you good math advice.

If your child goes to school, does he/she have a math book?  Do you understand where they are in the book, or what they are learning? Would you like to do some math with your child during breaks, or the weekend?

Is your school doing student surveys to see when they are struggling?

If your child is falling behind in math, and you want to help them, start small. You can start by spending 10 to 15 minutes a day explaining a topic and asking them to solve some problems.  If you don’t know where to start, test them to see where the starting point is for them. Here is a link that will provide you with a very simple assessment of where your child should start. The information is all there, you just need to print it.

Before I continue, I need to tell you I am not getting paid for promoting this site, nor am I required to promote it.  This is a personal preference. My family has used Saxon Math for many years, and although is a bit intense because of the amount of work we need to do, the results are worth it.

After you have administered this test, you will have the results and the option to start at that point.  For Saxon math, the beginning of the books are always very easy because they are reviewing the material from the previous grade, but as you progress, the difficulty becomes much more challenging.

Online math sites are good if you want to go that way.  But be choosy, remember that there are millions of sites with math help. Choose a site that will give your child extensive and numerous exercises till he or she masters the topic, and make sure that at the beginning of your journey, you choose a free site before committing yourself to a site that locks you into a long term commitment.  If you want to make sure he/she knows the topic, come back later on and test her again with some problems to see if you need to review that topic. You must remember that your child needs to master a topic, before continuing into another.  We are not at school.

Good luck and have fun with math!