Bigger Big Sunday

every spring BIG SUNDAY arrives and this year it is upon us may 3rd. this is a day where families everywhere volunteer to help a long list of organizations. similar to michelle obama's "call to service", this day asks you to just DO SOMETHING, ANYTHING to help out. anywhere.

i keep hearing schools talk about "100% participation" about different things from giving money to parking in the correct pick-up spot, BUT... what if we had a world where giving back had 100% participation? imagine what that would look like. 

here's the link for BIG SUNDAY

if you can't find anything near you, feel free to take ideas listed on this site and have your own "little sunday".

the lesson: true, our kids have homework and soccer and ballet and sunday school. our lives are FULL, but if we can expose them to helping and giving kinds of experiences, they will shine, grow and feel in ways that will reward not only the recipient of the help, but mostly your child. they will feel big and significant in the world. they can make a difference.

*** added bonus: i say SUNDAES for all participants of "big sunday"! of course, you'll have to organize the trip to ben and jerry's on your own.

Say What???

run, don't walk, to the nearest link to amazon.com (if you are on the acme sharing website, it is on your right). i find myself referring to this book ALL THE TIME and it suddenly dawned on me that i should "share" it here. because it would, in fact, make the world a better place for us and our kids if we all had THE handbook for parenting. betsy brown braun is the real deal. her advice is so thoughtful, developmentally appropriate and most of all, comes from common sense (the kind we don't have when we are faced with our kids mid-wrestle, hair-pulling and tears).

"just tell me what to say" by betsy brown braun

Isn't Every Day Earth Day?

here is a fun and easy project to do as a family. create a wildlife habitat for the neighborhood animals. no, not a den for coyotes or skunks, but a bird bath or feeder for your sky bound feathered friends.

log onto the national wildlife federation for details and suggestions to make your backyard (or balcony) a certified natural habitat.

the lesson: what's ours is theirs. wouldn't we want to indulge in the kindness of strangers if we were flying north for the season?

***added bonus: dust off those expensive binoculars you never use and put them to work.

Earth Day - Movie Magic

earth day is right around the corner (it's april 22) and the first item on our list is to take the kids to see the new disney EARTH movie. here is the BEST part... when you purchase a ticket during opening week, disney will plant a tree in the brazilian atlantic rain forest (considered to be the most endangered rain forest since only 7% of it remains).

here is a link to get all the deets

the lesson: having not yet seen the movie, i can only hope that it will give our kids an amazing overview of so many of the wonders and creatures we don't see on a regular basis. this will help them to appreciate it more.

***added bonus: popcorn with m&m's and some red vines all to help this beautiful planet of ours.

Soooo Sweet

the great american bake sale is an organization that helps you put on a (see if you can guess what i'm going to write next) bake sale!!! yay, you guessed right!

they send you a poster, give you the low down on sales, give you an email card to forward to friends and set up an account for you. sure, you could do all of this yourself, but somehow it seems so much more LEGIT.

TGABS (my acronym) gives all of the monies raised to a hunger relief organization in your neighborhood.  this morning my son and his "girlfriend", charlotte, made a whopping $33. if i may go one step further, i would like to recommend baking rice krispies treats - they are the EASIEST thing on the planet to make. melt butter, add mini marshmallows, add cereal, stir and pour - THE END.

here's a link for THE GREAT AMERICAN BAKE SALE

the lesson: basically it's "business school 101": make a product, market and advertise, sell and donate.

***added bonus: it's really fun, great to eat leftovers and who doesn't love sitting around begging people for a dollar.

In The Jeans

i am no fool (most days). i know how impossible it is to ask children to go through their toys and give away the ones they don't use. most kids just can't do it - yet. but clothes? you bet. 

since spring is here, it's time for SPRING CLEANING. 

here is an amazing denim drive that is trying to break the Guinness Book Of World Records for the most clothing recycled. all of these jeans will be turned into cotton fiber insulation for homes damaged in natural disasters.

here's a link for more details: at national geographic kids

jeans (and jackets) must be sent in by june 30th for those of you who do spring cleaning closer to summer. 

***added bonus: a way to kill an hour or two (if you count a trip to the post office to mail them out) until spring break is over and school is back in session.