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Easy self-esteem builder: Make resolutions with kids
Our colleague Irene Maher has some great tips in her article here on how to help your kids set some New Year's resolutions. As she notes, "the new year provides a good opportunity for kids to take a personal assessment — how things are going for them at home, at school, with their friends, their physical fitness — and see if they'd like to make improvements." The benefit of resolution-making for children is that it builds self confidence and self esteem. It gives them a sense of accomplishment. In the end, it helps make them thoughtful, productive citizens. That means it helps keep them out of trouble later in life. ... Read more
Charity drive desperate for toy donations
The Child Abuse Council’s Holiday Store's new toy drive is in desperate need of toys. Last year, the Holiday Store provided toys for 575 needy children. The biggest need this year is in the infant-to-1 year age group where nearly 200 toys are needed. No stuffed animals, books or violent toys, please. New toys only. Unwrapped please. Toys can be dropped off at the Child Abuse Council at 3108 W Azeele St., Tampa until next Tuesday, Dec. 13. Open weekends 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., other dropoffs by appointment by calling (813) 673-4646 x224. ... Read more
Radio Disney holds Festival of Giving
Radio Disney Tampa AM-1380 will be at Tampa’s Curtis Hixson Park on Dec. 3, bringing multiple charities together to make it easy for kids and families to give back this holiday season in a Festival of Giving.
From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Radio Disney will supply music, interactive entertainment and prizes. Metropolitan Ministries will be accepting canned goods and non-perishable foods, and Toys for Tots will be accepting new toys. And of course, cash donations are appreciated.
--Sharon Kennedy Wynne
Follow us on Twitter @WhoaMomma
Give food, get circus tickets or toddler play date
While it's always good to donate when you can, there's some perks for donating food this month. On Thursday, if you donate some food, you get circus tickets. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is collecting food for Metropolitan Ministries on Thursday. A donation of 10 nonperishable, unexpired food items earns a ticket voucher for the 7:30 p.m. Jan. 4 opening night circus performance. Limit four tickets per household. Parking is available on the circle drive at the St. Pete Times Forum. Drop off the food from 10 a.m. to noon Thursday at the St. Pete Times Forum 401 Channelside Drive. ... Read more
Go ahead, do the Great American Teach In
Firefighters, dog trainers, cake decorators, wrestlers, basketball coaches and more will fill classrooms this week for the annual Great American Teach-In. I'll be there, will you?
Parents and community members will be the classrooms on Wednesday in Pasco County and Thursday in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties to share their work, hobbies and life experiences with students. They'll talk about what they do and also how school got them there and the components of their success. It's a good way to show kids where education can take you, but it's also a good way for parents to appreciate what teachers do.
The first time I did it eight years ago, I came home with even greater respect for teachers, if that's possible. First of all, it's hard to talk about anything for more than five minutes, so you need to be prepared. An easy out is to give them your story and then take questions. But be prepared for questions that have NOTHING to do with what you talked about. ... Read more
MOSI, Chipotle host dinner and a movie
Have you been intrigued by the push for a more sustainable table? The grassroots movement promotes fresh, locally-grown products and on Thursday, Chipotle Mexican Grill is hosting a "dinner and a movie" fundraiser at the Museum of Science and Industry. Guests are asked to make a $10 donation at the door ($5 with a student ID) and all proceeds benefit the Sweetwater Organic Community Farm, Tampa’s urban organic farm and education center.
Then they will show a screening of the film FRESH, a 72-minute film about the sustainable food movement. The first 100 people there get a free burrito dinner, drink and T-shirt. The event begins at 7 p.m. at MOSI, 4801 E Fowler Avenue in Tampa.
--Sharon Kennedy Wynne ... Read more
Have a teen looking for volunteer opportunities?
A great local organization, Suncoast Hospice, is having a Teen Volunteer Open House on Sept. 6. They are inviting any teens, ages 14 to 18, to come check out the volunteer opportunities with these wonderful folks. The kids do a variety of things, from helping in the "resale shoppes" to helping with special events. Teens also work the cameras and other equipment to help patients and families record their life stories or become Party Pals to celebrate special occasions with patients. They also form cheer teams to visit patients at home and bring a much-needed lift to their spirits. ... Read more
9 crucial tips for your autistic child
Our friend and former colleague Dalia Colon has an excellent story on HealthyState.org's website in which she interviews a man who was diagnosed as an adult with Asperger's syndrome. Aside from his own fascinating story he offers 9 critical tips for parents of autistic children. Anyone who knows an autistic child could learn from this as well.
They are:
Always presume intellect. Researchers are finding that even kids who are nonverbal often have high IQs. Be on the lookout for new-tech ways to communicate with your child. ... Read more
Donate to kids, get a bonus
You get when you give this summer. Stores and venues are offering some nice incentives to be a giver, from a free date night to generous coupons.
Sidesplitters Comedy Club in Tampa is offering free admission (excluding 8 p.m. shows Fridays and Saturdays) when you help them make Backpacks of Hope. Now through July 31, get free admission when you bring in a new backpack, three-ring binders, pencil sharpeners, hand sanitizer, scissors, colored markers, colored pencils, and/or copy paper. All donated items will benefit Metropolitan Ministries Backpacks of Hope program which will assist those in need in getting a head start for the upcoming school year. Reservations are required to take advantage of this, so call them at (813) 960-1197. The club is at 12938 N Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa. ... Read more
Save the Earth, save on Shrek tickets
Save some green when seeing the popular green ogre Shrek while helping save landfill space and preventing toxins from being released into the environment.
In honor of Earth Day, bring your unwanted electronic items on Friday to the David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts loading dock for recycling and get 50 percent off tickets to select performances of Shrek the Musical, coming to the Straz May 3-8. The center is at 1010 N MacInnes Place, Tampa. (813) 229-7827 and the loading dock is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday. ... Read more
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THE AUTHORS
E-mail Sharon Kennedy Wynne:
wynne@tampabay.com
E-mail Kate Brassfield:
katedaphne17@gmail.com