NANA SAYS REPORT CARD TIME IS STRESSFUL FOR PARENTS

Everyone wants and thinks their child is brighter than the rest. The report card arrives and gives a reality check of one teacher's assessment of your child. So there are not all A's or excellent or however your school system grades your child. The gifted child at age 7 does not necessarily mean the same child will ace High School and be a college grad at age 16. There may be some social expectations that are not being met! Yes it is great to read early but the rest of the pack catches up eventually! The child that must study to get good grades actually learns how to learn and retain information. Learns how to work for what he/she gets1 Rather than expecting everything is just too easy and becomes bored at learing! Creating a home environment where the parents role model reading, studying and creative thinking is as important or more important than any classroom. Manners are taught at home! Reading out loud to your children! My girls had a principal that insisted all grades- yes even the Grade 8's -had the teachers reading out loud every day! Steven Spielberg stresses reading anything and everything as a way to spice up creative thinking! Back to the report card. Be proud the child received a C in a subject. Why? There is room for improvement and the chance to help that child get a C plus next time. Good grades in the early years do not mean the child is automatically Harvard material! A well rounded- academic, social, musical, emotional, spiritual, person is what we are aiming to raise. Ask any adult about the "smart people" around them! Are there any social inappropriateness? Ask the parent of a Special Needs child  when they celebrate the small milestones! As the parent you have the opportunity every day to work and Play with your child. Yes play! Play provides a world of opportunities for learning! Congratulate your child for the effort! Ask the parent of teenagers! If they went to school every day and did not skip- well that is a huge accomplishment!

FINDING TIME IN THIS BUSY SEASON

Can you start to feel the panic in this busy season of trying to get everything done? Well slow down, take a deep breath, make a list and really decide what are the priorities. Leaving anything to the last minute works for some people! Not for me and many others. Everyone has the same 24 hours in the day! Many stores now have extended hours to accomodate shoppers! But is the season really about shopping? As we head into December, are you trying to do too much? For whom? And why? What traditions are really important to you?  Is there someone ill in your family that you want to spend more time giving support and company? It is the thought that counts, so they say! So what are your thoughts? Rather than just a list of items to buy. Make a list of what is really important to you during this busy season. For me family, trying to visit some people before Christmas, and enjoying the Christmas lights- maybe visit some nice neighbourhoods to see them. Photographs! What about your list? What would it include?

FRESH- LIVING IN THE MOMENT

Do you ever think the word fresh really means living in the moment? You're a breath of fresh air. Fresh fruit, fresh vegetables- go to the farm for fresh eggs! Don't be fresh with me young man! Go outside to get some air- it's stuffy inside! Your freshman year at university! New or renew! Adolph made homemade spaghetti using those fresh farm eggs for Natasha's birthday dinner! Makes it taste better! Is there a time every day to refreshen what we do? Lately, I have been experiencing the boredom factor in several areas of my life. How about you?  Looking at what I have and refreshing my thinking has helped to find some renewel! Decorating for Christmas brought some changes! Declutted my office space at work! And you? Make a fresh start every day! Decide to add new and let go of old! No long range plans-just a look at today! Is there a new idea or tradition to add to your festive season! Or revisiting an old tradition making it fresh! Does the word fresh conjure up any thoughts or ideas for you? Are you feeling fresh right now?

MY PURPLE CHRISTMAS WREATH- PART TWO

Making my Purple Christmas Wreath comes in stages.Choosing a variety of shapes and sizes from my pinecone pile will add texture and depth to the wreath.

With my wire wreath circles and pinecones, I go to the next. Finding a large tub or container to soak the pinecones is important.
Why soaking? To shrink them and have them close up.

Taking the wet cones, the creation of the wreath begins. Pushing some cones through wire! Placing some on top but attaching with a twist tie, string or wire- you can use the wire hooks for ornaments.
In the drying process that can take several days to dry and expand into the wire, patience is important. The more the pinecones are shoved into the wire, the tighter they are.

MY PURPLE CHRISTMAS WREATH-PART THREE

My purple Christmas wreath has been made in stages. Finding the pinecones! Soaking the cones and placing them on the wire wreaths! Waiting for them to dry and be secured to the wire, the final process begins.
I bought some decorative items at Michael's craft store. Since I have quite a supply of craft items at home, I perused my stash finding items from old corsages and little purple bulbs to use.

I placed a couple of these purple poinsetta items, used some sparkly glue in a variety of colours to rub on several pinecones, added some pieces from the old corsages and the little bulbs.

The picture shows some of the details of the wreath. The bulbs were attached either through the wire or directly on the pinecones, fastened by bulb ornament hooks. The glue glitter gives a little enhancement to the pinecones.

It is rather simple for an indoor look. I only have one layer of pinecones for this wreath. If you want to make a thicker one than add more pinecones. Even adding a hanging item in the middle could make the wreath look bigger. A bow! A little teddie! Another favourite item! Your choice! Homemade wreaths are so personal and add to any holiday decor! What do you think? Doesn't it look nice against my brick fireplace in my family room?

MY PURPLE CHRISTMAS WREATH- PART ONE

I love trying new projects each Christmas. So this year I decided to make a purple wreath for my family room that will have a purple and white theme.

There are always a variety of pine cones available in the area to use in projects. Some stores will sell a bag of 6 for $2.00 or more. So finding your own throughout the year and storing them in a dry place allows for material for many projects. If kept inside, remember there can be little bugs in them. Heating for a brief period in the oven on a very low temperature kills them or use a bug spray in a closed plastic bag to make sure the pine cones are okay.

I like to use wire wreath circles for my pinecone projects. These were bought at Michael's Craft store. I am sure you can find some at any craft store near you as well.

So with the wire and pinecones, I'll proceed to the next stage.

BLACK FRIDAY-ARE YOU SHOPPING?

Shopping has become a value in our society! Generations have always shopped for a bargain. Why not? Bigger bang for your buck! Here in the GTA many people head to Buffalo for the bargains! But wait-many local stores and online shopping have Black Friday right at home! For the diehard the trip south with the lineups at the border and the duty tax on items on the return home, I am told is worth the effort. Perhaps for the large ticket items but I have never worried about the $8.00 T-shirts being worth the effort. Clearance racks, shopping mid-season and having emails sent to my home with the Wednesday specials have landed me some good bargains- with little effort. If I spend enough online shopping, no shipping charges and it comes right to my door. Actually books are great to buy that way as the trip to the bookstore to find an obscure clinical text is avoided. For me bookstore visits should be to browse and take my time when I am not in a hurry. Or do I just not like to shop with crowds anymore! I am the one if the store opens at 7:00 a.m. in the holiday season to be the first there and finished by 7:30 a.m. I never mind waiting for the door to open- arrive early! Bring a coffee! People watch! So what are you doing Black Friday? Did you find a local bargain or have you travelled south? Hope you found all the bargains you were hoping to find? No matter where you shop today- the economy has a boost!