Child free holidays Kids free holidays

Child free holidays Kids free holidays It was a Thanksgiving Day many years ago, I was still married to my kid's Dad. We had the tradition of going over to his family for Thanksgiving dinner. This is the story about what was thankfully, my last Thanksgiving with my husband and his family. I walked slowly up my sister-in-law's driveway. I was holding a huge banana pudding, the only dessert my then mother-in-law trusted me enough to make. My mind was racing with excuses. Should I fake a fall in the driveway? Or a stomach ache after dinner started ? I followed my husband and our two kids through the back door and into the kitchen. The smell of overcooked turkey and neglected cat box immediately hit me. I placed my banana pudding on the washing machine next to my sister in law's annual gelatinous mystery that no one would eat. The house was very small. And that day, the house is filled to the walls with my in-laws. Everyone was there, the ones I saw regularly and the ones that only seemed to show up when there is food involved. I edged myself sideways through the cramped dining room searching for my husband and kids. I only stopped occasionally to answer the usual questions, "Yes, we're both still working", "No we don't plan on any more kids", "I haven't seen him since he got out of jail", and so on. I found my husband in a very animated conversation with is brother, who lived in Detroit. His brother's girlfriend was drunk already and starting to hug people. I thought to myself that this has to be a record; she usually waits until after she has words with my mother-in-law. His last girlfriend would just scream at you when she got drunk this one is affectionate instead. I decide I don't want a hug and made my way back to the kitchen where my mother in law was chewing out my sister in law because she's eaten all the skin off the turkey. Just when I had decided to get a stomach ache, my mother in law shouted "Come and get it." I found myself shoved aside into the refrigerator by my step-brother in law's pregnant girlfriend. She announced that both she and the baby are starving. I stood back and watched the relatives descend on the kitchen counter like a pack of wild animals. I suddenly saw husband jockeying for a place in the food line. He got a plate for each of our children. I had yet, and would never learn enough survival skills to hold my own at the buffet line with my in laws. I wait until both the kids have finished eating and announce to my husband that I feel a severe headache coming on. (Which by that time, is no lie). As I searched for our coats on my sister in law's bed, I saw my stepbrother in law sitting at the dining room table with his leg raised over his head and a cigarette lighter held to his rear end. He announced proudly that everyone should look because he's getting ready to "Light One!". I rushed out of my sister in law's bedroom with the kid's coats in my hand. Grabbing each child's arm in each of my hands I said good bye to all the relatives between the bedroom door and the back door. I lied to my mother in law what fun I had and make a break for the car. On the ride home, I thought of how thankful I am that it is over. And through the magic of divorce and my ex's affection for other women, I now look forward to the holidays. Secure in the knowledge that when the craziness starts, from now on, I'm the ringleader. Lifelong writer finally turning pro. I write articles, short stories, essays, blogs, you name it. I love research and finding out things I didn't know before. I'm straight forward, often humorous, always on point. http://chucklebucket.blogspot.com http://www.examiner.com/x-18243-Knoxville-Events-Examiner ============================================== Hot Holiday Toys to Help Your Young Child Learn Will your child benefit more from a game of jump rope, or from a board game such as Candy Land? Most parents are aware of the importance of play in their child's development. Through play a child develops many important skills needed to be successful as they enter a structured school environment. What may be less understood is how the type of play, and thereby toys, influence what is being emphasized in the learning process. Lets see how riding that Big Wheel can be just as important as building a puzzle, and suggest some of this years hot toys along the way. There are five major areas of development which the type of toys, and therefore play, can assist in helping your child grow. Although there is much overlap, these areas are motor skills (physical dexterity), social skills, cognitive skills (problem solving), creativity, and language development. Motor skills are broken down into two categories gross motor skills and fine motor skills. Gross motor skills are those skills that primarily use the larger muscle groups such as running and jumping. Toys which would help in improving gross motor skills would be games such as Little Tikes Jump N Slide Inflatable Bouncer and The Fast Lane Scooter. Fine motor skills focus mainly on the smaller muscle groups such as tying a shoe or putting together a puzzle. Toys which promote improving fine motor skills would be old favorites like, Mr Potato Head, or many of the new Transformer toys. Social skills define your child's ability to relate with others. These skills will be of particular value once he or she enters school. Group games, teach interaction with others, a skill that builds relationships and will be of great importance as your child goes through life. Some popular toys which may improve social skills are Make Your Own Sock Puppets and Crazy Old Fish Wars Card Game. Choosing a good toy which assists in building cognitive ability is very dependent on your child's age. As children progress through the process of child development they are able to understand, and complete more complex tasks. Becoming familiar with what are referred to as developmental milestones will help in choosing the right age appropriate toy to strengthen your child's cognitive or learning ability. You should also use manufacture's age recommendations as a rough guide in choosing a toy while keeping in mind your child's strengths and abilities. Some top sellers Christmas 2009 for ages 4-8 would be the Leapster Learning Game System or for ages 2-6 try the book, First 100 Words. Although any toy can be used by your child creatively, toys which have a more oped-ended function and are free from right and wrong results work best to promote creativity. Playing with dolls or action figures prompts kids to use their imagination to make up their own stories. Painting and drawing toys are also good choices for children to explore their creativity. Try the Imaginext Pirate Ship by Fisher-Price, and TransFormers 2 Revenge of the Fallen Deluxe Action Figure as both are hot sellers this year. The obvious choice for toys that help develop good speech and language skills are books such as Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and the Goodnight Moonboard Book. While books are excellent tools for this purpose, with focused interaction, all toys can be used to strengthen language abilities. For example, exploring different words used to describe the toy or its action. You may find your child asking, "What does that mean?" lending the opportunity to teach your child in the relaxed atmosphere of playtime. As you can see all playtime is also learning time. How much is learned, and what is learned, is largely dependent on the interaction and the type toys provided. Choose wisely, but in the end don't forget playtime is about having you and your child having fun. For more suggestions for choosing toys to help your child learn go to http://hottoyschristmas.com/