FAMILY NIGHT FRIGHT?

Family night? Do you have a weekly family night? It's a fun night! It's a night to connect with each family member! It's a night to coordinate the calendars of all members of the family. If you have been "thinking" of having one, go ahead, jump right on in and try it. Make a snack, read stories or play games. Make a craft. Plan a short and inexpensive trip, go camping, or hiking. What ever you do try, make it age specific and interest specific to you and your family.

September 25, 2010 - KIDFEST in Clermont, FL from 9 am to 2 pm. was so much fun with so many things to do. How do I know? I was at the Storyhub, LLC booth introducing the parents and their children to our parenting tools. These tools could very easily be your first four weeks of your first attempt to create a family night. It is a wonderful way of spending those first four nights, once a week with your family. Once you have practiced with The Two Friends, Baby Bird, The Raccoon and Swampy for these four weeks you will love meeting together and find more things to do as each family night rolls around. With these tools you can get started right away. Also, for those of you who have never played with puppets. Go out to Storyhub.com and find the sock puppets. Crazy Horse, Maybelle the Cow, and Sweet Puppy. There you will find two scripts which could add two more family fun nights to your list of things to do. So a total of 6 weeks worth of fun. Two weeks are free. The books and cds we have created will become treasured items to pass down to your children for their children.


Family night is so important for families to establish a time to converse, to settle disagreements and to learn to work as a family team. Family-night time helps families to grow trust and respect for one another in a time that is less stressed and is a bonding time for all involved. Yes, Kidfest was fun. In asking parents if they were providing a family night for their children, many said they were "thinking" about it. I sensed fear about whether or not they had faith in family night working, or how it would work, and if it would work with their family. Some of the parents I asked this question of seemed to be concerned that it was too much time or money. Please keep it simple, and inexpensive. Assign, if the children are old enough, certain aspects of the family night to the children. Allow them to help in the planning. Help your children to believe in themselves by believing in them. They will grow so much more confident when they feel your confidence in them.

Try it. It's important because it's a valuable time you and your children will cherish for ever!

TIME MARCHES ON...

Some interesting changes. I am busy trying to finish a puppet that seems to be a lesson in life. A panda bear puppet for a proposed children's television show. Seems every time I pick it up to put in a stitch or two, something intervenes with the process of finishing this "one and only, solitary" project. It would be nice if it were a "one and only, solitary" project, life just doesn't seem to happen that way for adults. I believe for our children too. We are all just so very busy. I am beginning to call it the "trying to make the grade" syndrome.
Too many projects, and too little focus on the "one and only" can be a distraction in it's self. It's time for what Julia Cameron would call an artist date. Only this one is not like what she would call go away and be alone. No, that panda bear puppet and I need to spend some "quality" time together and get her finished. After all, she isn't the only puppet in the box that needs finishing and creating. I did her an honor though. When the creation of her mouth wasn't turning out right, I stopped and did more research and came back to her mouth after realizing I just needed more practice on building mouths. As a result of my "homework," I now have BUNNY! I stepped back created a smaller puppet and concentrated on the creation of a smaller mouth. Like magic, when I went back to the panda bear puppet, her redesigned mouth worked out just great! She has a beautiful smile now and will delight audiences near and far.
"Homework" like that is very important! Yes, even adults trying out new things need homework. School in real life, homework, it's a never done deal. Not in today's exciting new world!