Parent Newsletters - Issue 37

No Limits Learning
kids goals Ezine

Issue 37, 16th June 2007

IN THIS PARENT NEWSLETTER

1. A WORD FROM THE EDITORS
2. HOW TO BECOME AN ECO FRIENDLY FAMILY
3. KIDS CORNER COOKING AND CRAFTS
4. TICKLE YOUR FUNNYBONE (JOKES FOR KIDS BY KIDS)
5. WORDS OF INSPIRATION
6. SPONSORS

1. A WORD FROM THE EDITORS

Welcome to the next issue of the kidsgoals.com Newsletter. Whether you tend to side with Al Gore or the naysayers when it comes to the question of global warming and climate change we all have to agree our planet is not what it used to be. We all want our children to be able to breathe clean air and have a chance to experience nature at its best, but this is not a given. The air we breathe is not so clean any more and many of the animals that once were abundant are sadly becoming extinct. Now is the time to educate our children so that they can appreciate the beauty of nature and teach them that even the small things count when it comes to preserving our planet. In this issue we will talk about ways that you can make your children more "planet conscious'' and teach them how they can do their part.

We would also like to wish all the fathers out there a Happy Father's Day; we hope that it is a very special day for all of you. Finally the winners of the contest have been chosen and we would like to congratulate D. Phillips from Oregon OH and Jules from York in the U.K. You will be receiving email notification shortly to confirm your address so we can get your prize to you as soon as possible. Thank you to all of the other entrants we appreciate all of your kind comments and promise to have more exciting competitions for you in the very near future.

All the best,

Monicka

2. HOW TO BECOME AN ECO FRIENDLY FAMILY

Earth Day (April 22) is celebrated as the birth of the environmental movement. It began in the United States in 1970 and by 1990 over 200 million people in 141 nations celebrated the first International Earth Day. This year more than 500 million people in over 180 countries participated in activities and events to make people aware that our planet is in jeopardy. Earth day was created to spark a revolution against environmental abuse but we don't have to wait for Earth Day to do our part and to teach our children how even the little things count when it comes to preserving our planet.

Children learn by example, and you as a parent or caregiver can make a huge difference in how eco-conscious your kids are now and how they will be as adults. You can teach your kids that even though they are small they have an important role to play in the ways that they can help care for this planet. Have a discussion with your children and see how many things on the following list you can implement so that your family can do your part to make our planet a nicer place for now and for future generations.

1. Turn off lights and other things that use electricity (TVs, stereos, computers etc) when not in use.

2. Use rechargeable batteries whenever possible

3. Use fans or swamp coolers (evaporative coolers) instead of air conditioners

4. Use recycled paper and/ or recycle it

5. Do not let the water run continuously when brushing your teeth or doing dishes

6. Replace regular light bulbs with compact florescent light bulbs

7. Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible and use less hot water

8. REDUCE, REUSE, & RECYCLE and bring recycle programs to schools

9. Buy environmentally friendly cloth bags when you shop to eliminate plastic grocery bags

10. Buy products with little or no packaging

11. Buy recycled products such as toilet tissue

12. Whenever possible walk or take public transportation

13. Insulate your home and hot water heater

14. Buy local produce as much as possible

15. Use environmentally friendly cleaning products

16. Never litter and if you see litter pick it up whenever possible and dispose in the proper receptacle

17. Support products that are harvested from the rainforest but have not cut down trees to get it such as fair trade shade grown coffee instead of sun grown

18. Plant trees

19. Use lunch boxes instead of paper bags and plastic containers for sandwiches that can be reused instead of plastic bags

20. Save Christmas and Birthday gift wrapping paper to reuse again

21. Replace old appliances with "power smart" ones when they no longer work

22. Attach water saver devices to your shower and replace old toilets with low flow ones

These are just a few of things that you can do to help our planet. See how many more things you can come up with as a family to add to the list?

by Monicka

3. KIDS CORNER COOKING AND CRAFTS

Oatmeal fruit Bars

(Perfect for an after school snack. Use organic products if you really want to be eco friendly)

2/3 cup (150 mL) butter, softened
1 cup (250 mL) packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) rolled oats (not instant)
1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup (125 mL) slivered almonds
1/2 cup (125 mL) dried cranberries
1/2 cup (125 mL) sweetened shredded coconut

Preparation

Grease or line 13- x 9-inch (3.5 L) metal cake pan with parchment paper; set aside.

In large bowl, beat butter with brown sugar until fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. In separate bowl, whisk together rolled oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir in apricots, almonds, cranberries and coconut. Fold into butter mixture.

Spread evenly in prepared pan. Bake in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven for 30 minutes. Let cool on rack for 10 minutes. Cut into bars.

How to make an insect catcher

What you need:

* A small jar (the smaller the better - a mini jam or marmalade jar is good)

* Some strong tape

* Two drinking straws with bendy sections

* A small rubber band

* A small piece of muslin (or a piece of an old stocking)

1. Cut both straws so that you have the bit above the bendy bit, then the bendy bit, then about an inch of the main straight section.

2. Take the lid off the jar, and ask an adult to make two holes in it, the right size for the straws to fit in.

3. Push the short straight ends of both straws into the jar. Put some tape around the connection to make it snug. These bottom ends will go inside the jar so make sure they are the right length to fit. There should be a space between the ends of the straws and the bottom of the jar. Trim them a bit if necessary.

4. Using the rubber band, attach a small piece of your muslin over the bottom end of ONE of the straws.

5. Put the lid onto the jar as tightly as you can. You may need to put some tape around the lid but if it's a good tight fit then you shouldn't need to.

You're ready to use your insect catcher!

To catch insects, you will point the end of the straw that doesn't have the muslin at the bottom as close to the insect as you can, and suck strongly on the other straw. This will make a sucking force, like a vacuum cleaner, and pick the insect up. It needs to be small enough to fit through the straw of course. And don't worry, the muslin on the sucking straw will prevent any insects accidentally getting in your mouth !

An easy way to find insects to catch is to spread a white cloth such as a sheet or large tea towel under a bush, and give the branches a good hard shake. Usually some insects will fall out and you can then practise catching them.

4. TICKLE YOUR FUNNYBONE (JOKES FOR KIDS BY KIDS)

Q: How did the police get rid of the bugs?
A: They called in the SWAT team

A man was lonely so he went to the pet store to buy an unusual pet. He bought a centipede.

When the man got home and had set up the centipede's home, he decided to take it out to lunch. He went over and asked, "Do you want to go to lunch with me?" He waited for an answer but got none.

He asked again, "Do you want to go out to lunch with me?" After getting no answer, he waited a minute, and then asked again, "Do you want to go out?" Well, he was getting a little mad, so then he got closer to the box and said a little louder, "Do you want to go out to eat?!"

He heard a tiny voice say, "I heard you the first time. I'm putting my shoes on."

Q: How do you know when it is raining cats and dogs?
A: When you step in a poodle.

5. WORDS OF INSPIRATION

"A person is either the effect of his environment or is able to have an effect upon his environment."---L. Ron Hubbard

"Nature does nothing without purpose or uselessly"---Joseph Addison.

"A lake is the landscape's most beautiful and expressive feature. It is earth's eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature." --- Henry David Thoreau

"It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it."---Dan Quayle

"The economic and technological triumphs of the past few years have not solved as many problems as we thought they would, and, in fact, have brought us new problems we did not foresee."---Henry Ford

6. YOUR FEEDBACK

If you would like to request any topics for the newsletter for 2007, please email Cassie or Monicka at kidsgoals.com.

Thank you, from Cassie and Monicka

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