The Family Vacation: a Relic of the Past

The Family Vacation: a Relic of the Past

Julia @ Kids Matter

            Sadly, fewer and fewer families are going on vacations these days, and there are many contributing factors as to why. A lot of parents can’t take the time off for employment reasons, can’t afford it for financial reasons, or need to surplus any personal time for when their little ones get sick. One way to get through these road bumps is to take mini-vacations once or twice a year, then plan for a bigger vacation every three years. It may seem easier to plan around government holidays in order to save a day from your personal time pool, but hotels may be pricier around holidays, so beware.

            If you live in an area like where I live, you may have access to several places of interest within a four hour drive. Living in Louisville allows me the ability to go to cities like Cincinnati, Gatlinburg, Indianapolis, Nashville, Chicago, and St. Louis. These cities, and ones near you, have many sites for a family to enjoy! Shop the travel sites for discounts on hotels a few months before your trip or check Groupon for Bed & Breakfast deals. I used a Groupon for a B&B just outside of Cincinnati one year, and we had a whole three bedroom house to ourselves for only $100 per night!

            It is a good rule of thumb to research restaurants in your destination city and plan an eating budget. Try to avoid touristy spots and search out city websites to see where the locals go! You can view menus and pricing, which can really get your food budget down to a science! Another money saver is staying where complimentary continental breakfast is served daily.

            A BIG vacation takes a lot of time, rigorous planning, and a killer budget. Do not let that intimidate you! The sky is the limit when you give yourself a few years to plan. Take your family some place they will never forget; Disney, New York City, New Orleans, Hawaii, Ireland, Italy, or Paris! A good way to save for this kind of trip is to research the cost of hotels, transportation, food, shopping, and if overseas, the currency exchange rate.

            The 52 week money savings challenge can really help you save. If you do it for a few years in a row, you will be all set. Each week of the year, starting in January, you will place money in savings. Your money progresses along with the week’s number you are on. (Example: Week 1 you would put $1 in savings, Week 2 you would put $2 in savings, and so on.) By the end of your 52 weeks, your grand total savings will be $1378.

            Family vacations should not be a relic of the past! Spend time with your children in a new environment. Show them this great country of ours and all of her historical splendor. Showing a child the beach for the first time or looking out over New York from the Empire State building is incredible! So, pile the family into the car, pack a cooler of snacks, drinks, and lunches, and head to a new destination for your children to explore!

Happy Summer!

Meet the Child Care Council Staff

Introducing Patti G.

Robin @ Kids Matter

I would like you to meet possibly the most ardent Kentucky Wildcat fan in the state. Patti is originally from Louisville, but has been a UK fan since the age of two.  She pretty much inherited it from her father.  She said, “My heart bleeds blue for UK.”  She has a variety of UK clothing too, and supports the team by wearing blue and white most days.  She takes a little razzing from her co-workers, because her office is composed of at least 95% U of L fans.  When I asked Patti the most important lesson learned in life, her quick reply was, “…to root for UK!”

Patti met the love of her life, her husband, at the age of 15. They have now been married for nearly 29 years.  She said, “I have been blessed from the day I met him. He is the rock for our whole family.”  One of Patti’s coworkers told me that she has never seen two people more in love than Patti and her husband.  What a great way to be known! They are the proud parents to three children, two boys and one girl, and have two grandchildren.  They also have two Pomeranians, Red and Chocolate, who are her babies since her children have left home.  Patti’s family is very close and especially loves going for weekends in the country.  They enjoy spending time in nature and away from the rush of city life.  Patti said, “The most important thing I’ve taught my children is that nothing is more important than happiness, not even success.  They should look for what makes them happy, no matter what anyone says and that family comes first, no matter what.” She said her children would probably describe her as a trustworthy parent.  They can tell her anything.  And as loyal, because she is always there for them and they are the most important people in her life. (Other than her husband)

When she was a child, Patti dreamed of being a teacher when she grew up.  She worked in child care for about 15 years. Her favorite job was working at the Ford Motor Co. Daycare.  She said it was great because they had funds to do whatever they wanted and had “top of the line” of everything in the center.  It must have been great to have the funding the children deserved.  Patti started working in the Child Care Assistance Program in 2007 as an Eligibility Specialist. She transitioned to her role as Registered Provider Specialist about a year ago. She said her work as an ES has helped her a lot in her current role.  Patti said, “I am glad to be working for a company where my work is benefitting people.  Parents are grateful for our help and that makes it worth it!”

The most significant event in Patti’s lifetime was the terrorist attack on 9/11.  Her oldest son is in the military.  So, it brought home the fact even more, that you can’t take any day for granted.  She said, “…today may be the last day you get to speak with a particular person, so make sure you do it.  Otherwise, you may have regrets about it for the rest of your life.  The most important thing you can do in life is to show someone else how much you care about them.”

Patti’s greatest hope for the future is that we don’t see so much crime and negativity in the world.  She said, “…people need to realize how good we have it here in the U.S. and appreciate humanity, instead of showing the lack of regard for themselves or others.”   She said, there’s a time for seriousness, but you have to let your guard down and have fun sometimes too.  Patti has a good sense of humor and is known for dancing to and from the printer in her office and making up some interesting songs that are all her own.   Reminds me of the saying, “laughter is the spice of life…”

Pool and Spa Safety Tips

Pool and Spa Safety Tips

Robin @ Kids Matter

Simple Steps Save Lives

Learn how simple safety steps save lives in and around pools and spas.

Parents and families can build on their current safety systems at pools and spas by adopting additional water safety steps. Adding as many proven water safety steps as possible is the best way to assure a safe and fun experience, because you can never know which one might save a child’s life—until it does.

Staying Close, Being Alert and Watching Children in and Around the Pool

·       Never leave a child unattended in a pool or spa and always watch your child when he or she is in or near water.

·       Teach children basic water safety tips.

·       Keep children away from pool drains, pipes and other openings to avoid entrapments.

·       Have a telephone close by when you or your family is using a pool or spa.

·       If a child is missing, look for him or her in the pool or spa first.

·       Share safety instructions with family, friends and neighbors.

Learning and Practicing Water Safety Skills

·       Learn how to swim and teach your child how to swim.

·       Learn to perform CPR on children and adults, and update those skills regularly.

·       Understand the basics of life-saving so that you can assist in a pool emergency.

Having the Appropriate Equipment for Your Pool or Spa

·       Install a four-foot or taller fence around the pool and spa and use self-closing and self-latching gates; ask your neighbors to do the same at their pools.

·       Install and use a lockable safety cover on your spa.

·       If your house serves as a fourth side of a fence around a pool, install door alarms and always use them. For additional protection, install window guards on windows facing pools or spas.

·       Install pool and gate alarms to alert you when children go near the water.

·       Ensure any pool and spa you use has compliant drain covers, and ask your pool service provider if you do not know.

·       Maintain pool and spa covers in good working order.

·       Consider using a surface wave or underwater alarm.

For more information about how to pool safely please visit the Safe Kids website.

There is also an interactive video game, called “The Adventures of Splish and Splash”, and other educational and interactive materials for adults and children.

Top 10 Ways to Keep Your Child Interested in Reading during Summer Break

Top 10 Ways to Keep Your Child Interested in Reading during Summer Break

Robin @ Kids Matter

1.     Join a reading club at your local library.  This allows for interaction with their peers and may broaden the range of books from what they would normally read.

2.     Read the book then, watch the movie or cartoon.  It’s fun to see the words you’ve just read come to life on screen.  Afterwards, you can discuss the differences in the two.

3.     Have a book-themed celebration.  For example: have an ice cream party after reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  Don’t treat it like a reward for reading, which makes reading seem like a chore.  It’s just as an occasional special experience.

4.     Help your child practice reading skills as part of everyday activities such as reading a menu, looking at a map, identifying letters on street signs, or reading a recipe.  This helps build vocabulary.

5.     During long trips e-books or books online may be a good option to help pass time.  There are many free books available for all ages.

6.     If you have relatives far away or your child has a friend who has moved out of town, encourage your child to write letters.  It’s a good way to practice spelling, grammar, and punctuation.  And it’s really fun to get letters back from them. 

7.     Challenge your child to write a biography.  It may be a biography of their own life, or of a celebrity or sports hero.  Younger children may draw pictures and tell you what to write for each one. 

8.     Change it up and have kids read a bedtime story to the parents.  This gives children a sense of pride in doing something that is usually the” parent’s job”. 

9.     Buy a notebook for your child to use as a journal.  It may be for everyday use, or just to record fun experiences from summer travels.  This is a very special keepsake that they will likely love to reflect on in later years. 

10.   Make a special trip to the library and let the kids pick out several books that interest them.  Getting a variety of books that catch their attention is good.  You can schedule library time every two weeks or so to change the books out for new ones.   The Association for Library service to Children (ALSC) offers a list of award winning books that will be helpful if you want suggestions.  They also have recommended book lists, games, puzzles, and other great library related suggestions for parents, children, and educators.

Happy reading!  Hope you have a wonderful summer!

Meet the Child Care Council Staff

Introducing Shelly S.

Belinda @ Kids Matter

As we continue on our journey to introduce the CCC staff, I would like to point out that the CCC staff is spread out over Kentucky providing child care assistance to all counties. We don’t often meet staff from other regions face to face. So, I feel it necessary to point out that these interviews are often first meetings and we, the Blog Squad, feel lucky to have the honor of meeting all these fantastic people.  We hope you enjoy meeting the staff just as much as we do!

This week we bring you, Shelly, an Eligibility Specialist with the CCC for two years serving the counties of: Estill, Lee, Owsley, Powell, and Wolfe. She said that she loves her job because she is, “… providing the resources to enable people to have a better life”. Shelly is a hard worker and considers her life as, “great”. She loves spending time relaxing at home with her husband of 19 1/2 years, Lonnie, and their two children, Alyssa (13) and Bryson (7).  She considers her husband her rock and said, “He is always there and knows what I need to hear, whether it is good or bad”. As a proud mother, Shelly says her children are her greatest accomplishment in life and that, “No matter what happens at the end of the day they are always there and I am very proud of them”. Someday, hopefully in the near future, Shelly would like to spend her dream vacation in Hawaii with her loving husband and her two precious children sitting on the beach watching the waves, pound into the shore.

She is an avid sports fan; her favorite players are her children. She is also a proud member of the Big Blue Nation, “Go Wildcats”. When asked if she had a motto or saying from which she draws daily motivation, she replied, “We can do all things through Christ”. Also, helping her to relax and stay focused is her love of country music, which she listens to as much as possible. It’s always nice to ask questions that bring back fond memories. Once you reach parenthood, you can always count on looking back at your childhood days for a smile. I asked Shelly if she could go back and thank one of her elementary teachers, who it would be. Her answer, “I’d give my thank you to my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Rogers”.

These interviews are about getting to know the person behind the desk. I learned from Shelly that she is a kind, caring, giving person who puts others’ feelings before her own. I asked if she could change the world, where she would start. She replied, “… by teaching everyone that we are all the same. We need to love everyone. We need to focus on the greater good and not our own selfish needs.” I think that is a great place to start. Don’t you?

Behavior: What Makes Us Do The Things We Do?

Behavior: What Makes Us Do The Things We Do?

Belinda @ Kids Matter

“We considered behaving, but it's against our nature.” O.R. Melling, The Book of Dreams

I think most people would like to understand why they do the things they do. Sometimes, we do something that we just didn’t see coming. We get angry over things of which we have no control. We bite someone’s head off for a simple hello. We snap at the drop of a hat, for absolutely no reason.  But, what if there actually is a reason behind the madness? Today, we examine the brain, how it affects our daily behavior, and why it makes us do the things we do.

The field of social neuroscience is the study of how relationships affect every cell in our body and how the brains system causes us to act or react. If we were to look into our brain we would find the amygdala which is the source of our responses. It is the cause of our need to protect and defend ourselves.  It is the response center for instant, passionate action. For example… you see a child sitting on the edge of a counter, your immediate response is to protect the child and remove him from danger.

Actions and reactions are also caused through mirror neurons. This process is the mimicking of behavior of the people around you.  You can equate this to walking into a crowd of people looking upward. Automatically, your first response is to look upward. You are now mimicking the behavior of those around you. The same can be said on the opposite end of the spectrum, you walk into a funeral, where people are sad and grieving. Suddenly, no matter how you felt before, your behavior mimics the grieving of those around you.

How do we regain control of our emotions and actions? We do this through utilizing the orbitofrontal cortex of our brain. This section of the brain provides the necessary tools to step back, access the situation, and regain perspective. While the amygdala is basically an impulse, the orbitofrontal cortex is the source allowing for the thought process required to react calmly and rationally.

There are times in life when we must react on impulse and there are times we need to step back and think about how to react before taking action. How do we know when to use which? The impulse to save a life doesn’t take thought. Overreacting in the heat of the moment does take thought. Ask yourself questions. Why do I feel this way? What can I do to diffuse the situation? What emotions am I picking up from others around me? Chances are if you take just a moment to ask yourself questions then, you are giving your brain the time it needs to rationalize over impulse. I would venture to say that most decisions, reactions, and actions do not require a response within 10 seconds.  Do you remember being told, in order to calm down from a situation, to stop and count to 10? That is just what we need to allow our brain to switch from impulse to rationalization.

Relay for Life

Relay for Life

Robin @ Kids Matter

What Is Relay for Life?

•Organized, overnight community fundraising walk.

•Teams of people camp out around a track.

•Members of each team take turns walking around the track.

•Food, games and activities provide entertainment and build camaraderie.

•Family-friendly environment for the entire community.

Because it’s a team event, individual participants are not required to be there the entire time. But it's so much fun; you'll find it hard to leave!

What Makes a Relay Event Special?

Many moments create the unique Relay experience. Event details vary by location, but all events have key moments in common:

Survivors Lap

During the Survivors Lap, all cancer survivors at the event take the first lap around the track, celebrating their victory over cancer while cheered on by the other participants who line the track. Relay for Life events also recognize and celebrate caregivers, who give time, love, and support to their friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers facing cancer.

Luminaria Ceremony

The Luminaria Ceremony takes place after dark, so we can remember people we have lost to cancer, honor people who have fought cancer in the past, and support those whose fight continues. Candles are lit inside of personalized bags and are placed around the Relay track as glowing tributes to those who’ve been affected by cancer. Learn More »

Fight Back Ceremony

This emotionally powerful ceremony inspires Relay participants to take action. The Fight Back Ceremony symbolizes the emotional commitment each of us can make in the fight against cancer. The action taken represents what we are willing to do for ourselves, for our loved ones, and for our community to fight cancer year-round and to commit to saving lives.

History of Relay for Life

In May 1985, Dr. Gordy Klatt walked and ran for 24 hours around a track in Tacoma, Washington, ultimately raising $27,000 to help the American Cancer Society fight the nation’s biggest health concern – cancer. A year later, 340 supporters joined the overnight event. Since those first steps, the Relay for Life movement has grown into a worldwide phenomenon, raising nearly $5 billion to fight cancer.

Please join us in support of finding a cure for cancer.

Relay For Life of Madison County

Friday, June 13, 2014

6:00PM to 6:00 AM

At Michael Caudill Middle School

101 Summit St, Richmond KY

Meet the Child Care Council Staff

Introducing Rebecca A.

Robin @ Kids Matter

Meet Rebecca, the middle child of five, from Lexington, KY.  She grew up on a horse farm and rode horses a lot when she was younger.  Another common childhood activity was chasing peacocks.  She chased them all the time, but never caught one.   Her mom loves to tell the story of when Rebecca used to climb the rafters in the barn.  One day she fell from the rafters into a barrel.  Only her head and feet were sticking out at the top of the barrel.  Her older sister went for help and told her mom that Rebecca was, “broken in half”.  Luckily, she only had a few scratches from the fall.   She spoke fondly of her grade school, Athens-Chilesburg, which has been converted into an antique mall.  She said it’s interesting now, to walk through the school and point out to her children where she attended classes.   She and her husband of nine years travel a lot, and that though Arizona is beautiful with its red rocks and mountains, Kentucky is home. 

She is very proud of her three children.  Her oldest son just graduated High School. Her daughter is a sophomore in High School. Her youngest, Preston, is in the 4^th grade.  She has stressed the importance of volunteer work to her children, and likes them to take part in volunteer activities.  She said, “It’s important to teach them to help others and makes them feel better about themselves.”  A story from just last month shows that the lessons learned from this have had an impact.  While Preston was in the lunch line at school, the boy in front of him didn’t have the money to pay for his lunch.  Preston paid for it and he did it for the right reasons.  He didn’t even go home and boast about it, his teacher told Rebecca what he had done.  Her goal as a parent, “…is for my children to grow up and be able to be independent, successful, and genuinely good people in life”.

The family also has two rescued dogs, Toby and Romy.  Romy is technically her dog, but she is much closer to Toby.  Toby was rescued from an abusive home, and he still has health problems as a result of the abuse.  But, he is loved and well taken care of now.  Rebecca said, “Toby likes to ride in the car and he gets something to eat at every drive thru we go to, even at Starbucks!”

Rebecca used the Kids Now scholarship to get her degree in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education.  She worked and went to school, she was a busy woman, but stuck with it.  She said that one important lesson she taught her kids is that you should never stop learning, and they really like that.  She continues to demonstrate that as she attends EKU, working on a Bachelor’s Degree in Family Studies with a minor in Special Education.  She plans to graduate in the spring of 2016.  Good luck Rebecca!

Her first paying job was working at a pizza restaurant at the age of 16.  Since then, she has held a variety of jobs, and has always worked.  She said, “That’s how my family is.  We started working as soon as we were able to…”  Rebecca said her worst job ever was telemarketing; selling vacuums over the phone.  She left the job after a week.  I think we can empathize with that… it doesn’t sound very pleasant.   At the age of 22 she got a part-time job as a floater in a very well-run child care center.  Rebecca loved it so much that she decided to go to school, study, and make her career in that field.  She was working in a child care center and doing trainings part-time for the CCC.  When a position came open to work here full time, she applied and was hired.  So, she has been working in the Training/Resource & Referral Department ever since.  She is a Child Care Aware, Technical Assistance Specialist.  She said, “…being able to improve classrooms and the quality of programs children are in is very valuable.”

When I asked Rebecca if she had any regrets, she said, “…a million and we are not going over them.”  We all have regrets, but all we can do is learn from them and go forward doing better and learning in the process.  Happiness to her is, “… seeing how I can help somebody else so they will be happy.  Seeing their happiness makes me happy!”  That’s right in line with her advice... to smile and try to have fun, even when you don’t feel like it.  A smile usually makes you feel better!

Big Body Play

Big Body Play

Belinda @ Kids Matter

“STOP! Someone is going to get hurt!” “Don’t do that!” “Calm down!” “Don’t be so rough!” How many times have you said or heard those statements? If you have ever spent any time around two or more children you have probably heard those more times than you can count. True? Children love to get rough and physical in their play, it’s just a fact. But, what is big body play and is it necessary? Today, we take a look at Big Body Play written by Frances M. Carlson.

What is big body play? Carlson defines it as, “Rolling, running, climbing, chasing, pushing, banging, tagging, falling, tumbling, rough-and-tumble, rowdy, roughhousing, horseplay, and play-fighting. These are just some of the names that adults give to the boisterous, large motor, very physical activity that young children naturally seem to crave. All are forms of big body play—a play style that gives children the opportunities they need for optimum development across all domains from physical to cognitive and language to social and emotional.” So, there is actually a name and purpose for all that chaos. As you were watching two boys play fighting, did that thought ever occur to you? It sure didn’t to me, a mother of four boys and two girls.

Big body play is started before birth with rolling, kicking, and the waving of arms. This process advances with age into full blown wrestling in the yard. This form of play is utilized by animals as well as humans. Big body play can be done alone, with other children, or even with pets. The activities can include rules and guidelines for structured play or can be a free-for-all. Who doesn’t like a good game of tag outside on a beautiful summer day? When participating in big body play, endorphins are released that make us feel good. Play makes us happy. We all want to be happy. But, are there other benefits for supporting big body play?

There are numerous positive effects of physical play on health. A child’s gross motor skills develop during big body play. They develop body awareness and learn the limitations of their body. Their coordination is honed during this play time. They develop control of movement and balance. Relationships are formed. They become more fluid in their movements and less clumsy. The health of the child is also improved through physical activity. Social and emotional skills are developed. Verbal and non-verbal communication skills are developed. The lists of benefits go on and on.

“But I’m afraid of my child getting hurt,” says the concerned parent. Neither Carlson nor I recommend just allowing your child to have an unsupervised free-for-all. Children are still learning their physical limitations; so, of course, supervision is the key to a successful session of big body play. I found, in my children’s big body play that these fun times often ended when someone got hurt. The “hurt” was never serious and a few minutes later they were back at it again. The only difference during the later play is that they now knew what caused the hurt. Step up and lay ground rules, join in with the activity, oversee the fun times, and most importantly laugh and have fun. We are only kids once and big body play is where we found our greatest joy.

While big body play seems a scary thing, there are numerous benefits that allow your child to grow and learn which cannot be provided in a “sit down” learning environment. What big body play activities do you participate in with your child?

Got a Picky Eater?

Got a Picky Eater?

Lisa Smartt (Guest blogger) @ Kids Matter

I can’t help you with algebra. I can’t analyze your 401K or explain why your geraniums mysteriously died last year. But if you have a baby or a toddler, I might be able to save you a lot of trouble in the future.

More and more American children won’t eat this or won’t eat that. We have a lot of company so, over the years, I’ve heard it all. “He only eats this kind of cheese.” “She won’t eat meat or bread or vegetables or fruit. She mostly eats cereal or peanut butter.” “Junior doesn’t eat cornbread. Do you have any Wonder bread?”

I love you enough to tell you what nobody else is willing to tell you, friend. Being a picky eater is, well, kind of rude and annoying. So, if you’re a new parent, you definitely want to avoid pickiness with your own children. I’m not saying the method I propose is fool-proof. But neither of our boys have ever been picky eaters. They eat a wide variety of all kinds of foods, including beans and cornbread, salads, quiche, and casseroles. If you invite them to your house for dinner, they will eat what you cook, unless you’re cooking road kill. On second thought, they’re teenagers and would probably eat road kill just so they could tell all their friends they did.

If you're looking for a solution to picky eating at your house, my first suggestion is for the adults. Commit to not complaining about food. Ever. Picky parents naturally raise picky kids. Don’t constantly discuss things you like or don’t like. Be thankful for what you have. Be thankful you’re not going hungry. Pickiness displays a lack of gratitude…in both children and adults.

As soon as your child graduates from baby food, you can joyfully expect them to eat what you eat at mealtimes. I can’t emphasize this enough. Are you having beans and cornbread? So are they. Are you having ham and potato casserole and boiled carrots? So are they. You may need to dice the table food but you don’t need to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for a toddler, hoping they might “learn” to eat real food later. No. This is the time to learn.

With that said, I would recommend you never make a child eat. Ever. Please don’t make food a “power issue” in your home. Food is an enjoyable way to sustain life. It’s not the opportunity for a power grab. Mealtimes should be as pleasant as possible. If a child isn’t hungry, that’s fine. Healthy children will not starve themselves. They will eat when they’re hungry. But every family member must sit at the table with the rest of us. And we’re not going to fix an alternate meal. Don’t let children snack several hours before supper and they tend to come to the table hungry and ready to eat what you have prepared.

I know that pickiness regarding food is not the biggest issue families face right now. I get that. But I do think it’s a sign that prosperity has gotten the best of us. We’re spoiled. We whine. But we can do better. We can learn to be thankful. And we can pass that thankfulness down to our children. It will be a gift to them and their future.

Lisa Smartt writes a weekly newspaper column from her home on the outskirts of Dresden, Tennessee.  She is the author of three funny fiction books in the Doug and Carlie series and "The Smartt View:  Life, Love, and Cluttered Closets."  She can be contacted through her website, www.lisasmartt.com.

Meet the Child Care Council Staff

Introducing Diana T.

Belinda @ Kids Matter

Diana is an Eligibility Specialist in Boone County, and has been with the CCC for going on six years. She began her career in the CCAP business shortly over 17 years ago. She loves helping people because it makes her feel that she is making a difference in their lives.  She has lived in Boone County all her life. She was born at home in Burlington, KY. She has been married for 35 years and has one child, a son, who she states, “…has given me a beautiful daughter-in-law and granddaughter”. They have two adopted cats, Lucy and Buster.

She finds peace of mind by working in her flower gardens with her granddaughter. There is nothing like getting back to nature to build those precious bonds in life. Her favorite vacation thus far? “One year we just took off with no real place in mind. We took a tent and drove the back roads through Kentucky and camped out.” What an interesting adventure!

Diana’s life motto is, “Treat others as you would want to be treated”. She credited her parents as the greatest influences in her life. She is the middle child of nine children. She has four brothers and four sisters. Coming from a big family, I asked if she had any advice for parents today. With her easy going, caring, and fun personality she offered her best advice for raising children, “…just love them; listen to them; and spend time with them. They grow up way too fast”.

Some of her favorite things in life, besides family, are country music, UK Basketball, and Cincinnati Reds Baseball. Loving life, getting back to nature, and enjoying family are the greatest ways to find that happiness and peace of mind we all need to succeed in life.

National Bubba Day

National Bubba Day

Belinda @ Kids Matter

June 2^nd is National Bubba Day. This holiday is in honor of all those, formally or informally, named Bubba. The name Bubba became famous by a character in the movie, Forrest Gump. However, if you live in the south the name Bubba has been around for ages, and is typically a male name. When you think of “Bubba” you think of your brother, cousin, a guy you grew up with, or went to school with. But… did you know, Bubba actually means grandmother in Yiddish? Isn’t that an interesting fact?

Just seeing the name Bubba creates an automatic image of someone you know. But, how do we show them honor on their special day? Below are a few examples… pick one or more and get to celebrating your Bubba!

1.     Call Bubba and sing Happy Bubba Day.

2.     Send a Happy Bubba Day text!

3.     Post a pic of your Bubba on Facebook.

4.     Take Bubba out to eat.

5.     Buy Bubba a gift.

6.     Send a Happy Bubba Day email.

7.     Talk about ‘old times’ with Bubba.

8.     Thank Bubba for everything ever done for you.

9.     Throw Bubba a surprise party.

10. Do something nice for Bubba (wash car, clean house, babysit… etc.)

You may know one or ten Bubbas, but do something to acknowledge each of them on their special day! Happy Bubba Day to all the Bubbas out there, especially my own five year old little Bubba!