Rexanne's Web Review - Issue #28

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Today, September 19, is the International Day of Peace. How sweet! How about an International DECADE of Peace? Or an International Millennium of Peace? I can dream big, can't I? I don't know one person who doesn't want a peaceful, loving world, including, I suspect, the war makers. So what's the big deal? Stop the fighting already! I wonder if man's inability to get along is inherent in our make up or if it is truly possible to imagine a world without human conflict. It's a nice thought ... For now, let's all give thanks to the universe for the peace we do enjoy and say a prayer for the people and countries torn apart by violence and hatred. I wish all of you, dearest readers, a life filled with peace and joy forever.

Quite a few reader's comments this week. Some good information sent in on our parenting topic from last week about learning disabilities. Also, a few reader requests for information from fellow-subscribers. Read on:

"Both of my children have been labeled "PDD-nos" (Pervasive Developmental Disorder, not otherwise specified). Needless to say, I have my hands full!

My advice to parents out there who have children with any type of disability is that you learn your rights. Get to know what the laws are for your state. Do not fully trust the school or administrators. You may think they are there for the welfare of your child but that isn't necessarily true. Attend the IEP (Individual Educational Plan) and bring someone with you. These are very intimidating meetings. The special education department does that on purpose. You are getting so much information from all these 'specialists' that you can't possibly take it all in. The purpose of another body is so they can catch things that you aren't. Information is thrown at you from all over the room. Don't let them rush you through the meeting. If you have questions, ask. If you don't understand what they are talking about, ask. If they tell you that you are running out of time with the meeting, have it rescheduled.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS. KNOW WHAT FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education) MEANS! GET AN ADVOCATE. You'll need one for a while until you learn the game."

Wow, Shelly. This is powerful information. Thank you so much for your excellent advice! Shelly also sent in this link to the Special Education Resources on the Internet. A very good site I overlooked in last week's newsletter: SERI

"For learning style theory, the biggest names in the country used to be the Dunns, Kenneth and Rita. I'm not sure they had the best theory, but they certainly promoted it (and themselves) and put it in simplified form so that even the uninitiated could immediately grasp the content.

For different perspectives on intelligence, I believe the man's name was Howard Gardiner."

Thank you, Ann! Your input is always appreciated! I have found good online resources for all three of the above mentioned names. The information is very interesting for those who would like to study these theorists:

Here is a page explaining Kenneth and Rita Dunn's theories on learning styles: K&R Dunn

And an extensive list of Howard Gardiner information online: Howard Gardiner

"I enjoyed your letter today. I worked with these lovable children for 21 years. There were days I wanted to say 'I quit.' Then there were days I wanted the school day to go on and on, not wanting to send them home! I dearly loved this job. I now work in retail. The parents of some of these children bring them in to see me. The BEST part after all these years is the children (young adults) still remember me. We could just talk about olden days for hours. But we make it short ... usually I have to go to the break room and wipe away the tears! Thanks for your newsletter. I really needed that!"

Oh Jane ... your email brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for sharing your story with us!

Vi had this to share about Rina's input last week on apples and their health benefits:

"A Midwestern university (I believe the U. of Wisconsin) did a study many years ago which showed that eating apples increased the ability to fend off bronchitis and other breathing difficulties. They have also been called 'Nature's Toothbrush' and the pectin in them (skins) is good for digestion. My grandparents always had apple trees, and a good supply stored in the cellar for winter, plus what grandma put up in the form of sliced, stewed apples and applesauce. The neighbors had an apple press, and would make apple juice. Many of the old-timers made their own apple cider vinegar."

Thank you, Vi! I've heard a lot about the health benefits of apple cider vinegar, too. It's great stuff. Try it on salads instead of red wine or white vinegar. It is also an excellent gargle for sore throats.

"I have a question for you, or maybe for your readers. I am a single mom raising a 15 year old son. Is there a web site I can send him to that will teach him to shave? His father is not willing to share this passage into manhood with him, and I have no male relatives. HELP!"

If anyone knows of a good web site or has any information to share with Rexanna (nice name!) please send it in. I will post the messages in next week's newsletter or send them to Rexanna (nice name!). ;-)

"Speaking of Halloween ... I need to make a big smiley face mask, preferably a front and back that covers my head. Is there any yellow foam rubber or what should I use? (I am going as a happy camper if I can pull this together.) I will wear some shorts and a camp shirt with a canteen, etc. It's a big party where your costume has to have a title."

If anyone can help Rina or has an idea for her smiley face mask, she would very much appreciate your input. You can email her here: Rina

Some children are over-placed in school. These children are either too young to start school in the first place or not ready to move on to the next grade, be it for their chronological age or maturity level.

At times, children are placed in kindergarten before they are ready, setting them up for 12 years of trauma that is easily avoided by holding them back a year if they are obviously struggling with basic principles of education at their current grade level. Some kids are sent to kindergarten before they are old enough or mature enough to deal effectively in a structured atmosphere. The very best thing you can do for a child struggling to keep up is allow them to remain a year behind at the earliest age possible, when it is less likely to create an emotional issue. Also, be reasonably certain your child is ready for kindergarten in the first place.

If a child is not yet five years old but the school system allows him to enter kindergarten anyway, signs of over-placement should be watched for. Or, if a child is five but shows signs of emotional struggles with the idea of starting school, think seriously about his readiness.

I understand that many parents are eager to enroll their children in school at the earliest possible moment. Many times only to benefit the parents and their schedule, to gain more free time or because they are without reliable child care. This is not a good enough reason to rush a child who is clearly not ready, no matter what their age. These parents will assume the burden of a traumatized child which, in the long run, will create many more problems and time crunches.

Inability to grasp classroom concepts, emotional reversal or clinginess may mean your child is not ready for the challenge of elementary school. In just a few months, he will be ready and will have better grounding emotionally and physically to meet the challenge of each grade as he progresses through school. Please give your child the chance to integrate by allowing him the extra year to mature. It could make all the difference.

I couldn't find any reference to children who are struggling through school due to over-placement on the Internet. It may be out there but it got past me! I did find references stating that if a child is to be held back a grade, kindergarten or first grade is the optimum time.

If you suspect your child has been over-placed in school all along and it seems too late to have the school hold her back, there is hope in tutors, summer school and after school resources that can help bring a struggling child up to speed. It's well worth the effort and sometimes takes only six months for her to catch up.

Link # 1 will give you a comprehensive list of skills needed for each grade your child is entering: Grade Skills

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Rexanne Mancini is the mother of two daughters, Justice and Liberty. She is a novelist, freelance writer and maintains an extensive yet informal parenting and family web site, Rexanne.com – http://www.rexanne.com -Visit her site for good advice, award-winning Internet holiday pages and some humor to help you cope. Subscribe to her free newsletter, Rexanne’s Web Review, for a monthly dose of Rexanne: http://www.rexanne.com/rwr-archives.html

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This article is available for reprint at no charge providing the resource box with the writer's information is included and remains intact.

Have an opinion about this topic or a story to share? Please send it: My Opinion

Oh yummmmmmm ... Mother Red has some of the tastiest recipes to grace the Internet. Southern flavor and humor abound on this site where you will find recipes for Bug Bite Soup and Elephant Stew. If those two recipes don't do it for your mental taste buds, there are plenty of other amazing recipes to try. Wonderful cheese biscuits for breakfast, stews and casseroles and yep, there's a recipe for Fried Green Tomatoes!

Mother Red's Kitchen has a fun section for Old Timey Recipes that could possibly bring back memories of your youth, with fare such as Meat loaf with Cheese Center and Grilled Chicken Livers. OK, I do not tolerate anything with the word liver in it but some of you might! ;-)

Drop Mother Red an email to say hi after visiting her pages. It will surely bring a smile to her face.

Here's a super online game for kids from the learning channel. Gaggle will teach children the special words used for groups of animals. For example, what do we call a group of bears? Or a group of larks in flight? By the end of this game, they'll know!

Gaggle has an introduction that teaches each group name and progresses from easy for the littlest ones to more challenging for the pros. I loved playing this game, too!

Have a go at Gaggle then pass the keyboard on to the kids. There's a room in your home that I'm sure needs cleaning ... ;-)

(I found this tip somewhere on the Internet. Wish I could remember where and give proper credit. If you recognize this as yours, give a shout.)

A freshly painted room is a wonderful sight but the odor of paint is, to most of us, yucky. Here's a solution ... Pour 1/2 cup of vanilla into a gallon of paint and stir to eliminate the odor. It will not affect the color of the paint.

Makes sense, huh? If anyone has tried this or tries it in the future, I'd love to know how it worked!

"Use Lifesaver candies to hold candles in place on your next birthday cake. Kids and adults love them. They give color and look great. Yummy, too!"

And, because he had nothing better to do I suppose, Sam G. sent this remarkable tip:

"If a person is choking on an ice cube, don't panic. Just pour a jug of boiling water down their throat and presto! The blockage is almost instantly removed."

(Just in case ... the above tip was intended as a joke ... I think! Please do not try this tip. I know you are not stupid, dear readers, but with people like Sam G. subscribed, I'm not taking chances! LOL!)

Got a tip or trick your fellow readers would enjoy or could use? Please send it here for possible publication in one of the next issues: Tips

Free Work Sheets is an amazing resource. There is every type of work sheet imaginable on these pages, from pre school work sheets to social studies and every thing in between. They are either free to download to your computer or you will be sent a free CD ROM with your choice of subject.

With more than 7,800 work sheets to choose from, you're sure to find something on this site you didn't know you couldn't live without. :-)

Hey, got one to add to this ever-growing site? ;-) Some of these stories will make you kneel before your own in-laws and bless them for being yours! LOL!

From mother-in-law horrors, to son-in-law woes, you'll be giggling over the stories shared by other readers. There are some classic ones in here, guys. Enjoy!

We discussed school readiness in the parenting topic this week. Guess it's appropriate to take a child readiness test, everyone! Think you've got what it takes to be a parent? Think you can handle it? HA! This page will help you decide. :-)

Parents who already have their babies and adolescents and teens and grown up kids ... read this page for a good laugh! It's all so true and so funny! Enjoy!

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I have personally checked out the links provided here but they could possibly lead you to any number of bizarre and/or offensive sites. Surf at your own risk. The DIRECT links on this page are all family friendly unless stated otherwise. While this newsletter is family friendly, it is not necessarily intended to be read by children. Parents should always monitor their children while they are on the Internet.

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