Since Halloween is Wednesday night, October 31, 2018, many parents are having trouble figuring out what to do with the kids? Afraid to let them go trick-or-treating for fear of the loonies out there? Here are a few ideas for parents spooked about Halloween. First of all, there’s nothing wrong with trick-or-treating. As my daughters…
You are your child’s first teacher. As a parent, you need to embrace this idea and not wait for some stranger with a master’s degree in education do the job for you. Develop your child’s cognitive skills at an early age. Cognitive skills, the ability our brains use to think, read, learn, remember, reason, and…
Set in England during the middle ages, author TF Gray begins Murdoch’s Tale: Book 1 of Corwin’s Chronicle.The novel introduces Corwin, a young child torn away from his family and home by war. Rescued by Tovan of the faer and dropped off to a human family for adoption, Corwin goes through life with the dream of…
Doctors will tell you about the many benefits of exercise—a great way to keep the pounds in check and the metabolism chugging. Exercise also reduces the risk of developing diabetes, colon cancer, high blood pressure, and heart disease. On a personal note, when I complete a workout I feel a small fire blazing inside…
Dear Pop, My 12-year-old son is into water sports. I’m thinking about finding an activity we can do together. Any suggestions? Valley Dad Dear Valley Dad, Encouraging your child to participate in a recreational activity with you is a wonderful bonding experience your son will always remember. Lake Balboa, located between Burbank Blvd. and…
If you have a child in middle school or high school taking Algebra and you feel frustrated, you’re not alone. In a 2011 survey released by Sylvan Learning, a private for profit educational firm, 71% of parents questioned would prefer teaching their children to drive a car than tutor them in Algebra. A child’s problem…
Jessie’s Find It is late September when Jesse Mason, a Kansas cattle rancher, is riding his buckboard home after a long cattle drive. Suddenly, he hears a low moan. Could it be the wind? But when his horse, Bell, reacts to the noise, he investigates. To his horror, Jesse finds a dead horse. Close by…
Last week Jews around the world celebrated Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year. And this week, starting Tuesday evening, they will celebrate Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. Many schools throughout the country are closed for these holidays. What universal message does these days have for all of us—Jews and non-Jews? On Rosh HaShanah the…
Twenty-four years ago author Michael Thal began what would become The Koolura Series. His prime motivation at the time was to get his daughter Channie excited about reading. Then in the sixth grade, she promised to read the book upon its publication. Good for her word, even though she was twenty-eight years…
Beautiful Monster: The Exchange (Book 1) His vampire brother turned Lev Baronovsky a hundred years ago. Since then, he’s waged an internal battle to retain his humanity by refusing to neither kill a human nor turn one into a creature of the night. It’s a tough battle, for his brother, Alexei is his polar opposite….