Acme Holiday - Trick or Gift

so your kid has their costume, they are thinking of nothing else but trick or treating this weekend, you've got your flashlight and all is good to go.

SO, since you will be going door to door ANYWAY, here is a very easy giving back project/ lesson.

i posted about this last year for halloween so here it is again:

UNICEF has raised over $140 million and saved god only knows how many teeth from cavities.

if you don't know this program, it's where kids ask neighbors for pennies in lieu of candy. money raised is then sent in to help support the very worthy programs in over 150 countries.

since our kids will be at carnivals, class parties and more, they won't, in any way, be deprived of candy this halloween. so trick or treating can become about something else. i am not above bribing my kids to trick of treat for UNICEF and i will buy them their favorite candies in return (is this the wrong message?).

get your boxes at participating IKEA, PIER ONE IMPORTS or HALLMARK stores or

download cute "wrapper" here and affix to any canister at home (i am using one that had bread crumbs).

lesson: we drink clean water, not all children do. unicef helps provide for the kids who need water, medicine, food and education.

***added bonus: not hopped up on sugar, they might get to bed on time after an already over-stimulating day.

here"s a link to read more about it: UNICEF.ORG

Pennies From Heaven

now that the kids are in school and have a rhythm going, how about a class project? greg mortenson (author of THREE CUPS OF TEA, a remarkably inspiring book) brings the pennies for peace program to school kids everywhere.

log onto the site, sign up and "By participating in Pennies for Peace you make a positive impact on a global scale, one penny at a time. While a penny is virtually worthless, in impoverished countries a penny buys a pencil and opens the door to literacy."

the site gives step by step instructions for classes to start a penny jar, weave cultural lessons about the middle east into their curriculum and teach philanthropy.

here is the link: www.penniesforpeace.org

the lesson: with very little effort we can help do something as grand as BUILD A SCHOOL in a foreign country. we can make a difference.

***added bonus: your child feels powerful and you have a cleaner kitchen junk drawer, a cleaner bottom of your purse and a cleaner drink holder in your car!