How to Get Your Child to Put his/her Shoe on the Right Foot!

What does a heart shape have in common with your child

putting a shoe on the correct foot?

Well, everything!



I have tried teaching my grandchild, who is 3 yrs. old, how to look at the shape of his feet in comparison to his shoes, and drew outlines of his foot, to help him determine which shoe to place on what foot. It worked for a day, but then again, the next day, I was back to were I started.



So, as not to make a fuss, about the placement of his shoes when they are on wrong, I'll just state, how happy I am he put his shoes on; but also state I think he have is shoes on the wrong feet. He looked down and said, "Oh!" Then, he'll sit down and place them on correctly.

Occasionally, he'll put them on the wrong foot again. Toilet training

seems to be easier; there are all kinds of things you can relate to there.

But this, this is so different. Even socks don't help you. Where are the books for children to teach them how to put their shoes on the correct foot?

Maybe shoe companies will write the words or letter

in the shoe for a child to know. Now, we're talking about reading at age 2 and 3 yrs old.

Probably not a challenge for them to read. They pick up technology

very fast. When I ask for the remote control, my other grandchild

who is 18 months old runs for it before the 3 year old can get to it.



One day, I came up with the idea of another method of teaching my grandson, the 3 yr old, how to put his shoes on the correct foot.



We started out talking about the shape of a heart. He knew what a heart shape look like. We both drew pictures of hearts. Big ones, little ones and many different colors.

Soon it was time for him to put his shoes on and I said, "Manny, I have an easy way for you to learn which shoe to place on what foot."

He said. "OK!" Suddenly, this became a game for him and a little extra attention didn't hurt!



I told him to put both his big toes together and he will see the top of a little heart shape at the top; and then to put his shoes together and he will see the top of a little heart shape, too.

Suddenly, he said. "I see now!" He was all smiles with dimples showing. I could tell he understood what I was trying to show him.

"Now, I see!" said my grandson. "This shoe go on this foot, and that shoe go on the other foot." The shoes were all on the correctly!

"You Go Manny!" I said. "Great job!"



Drawing Lessons From The Heart!



by, Thelma Harcum

Child Development (8th Edition)Your Child's Growing Mind: Brain Development and Learning From Birth to Adolescence

Sewing Repairs Can Save You Money!!! Zipper Broken?

The Ultimate Sewing Book: Over 200 Sewing Ideas for You and Your Home

Your coat or your child's coat's zipper is broken.
What should you do?



If you find you have a coat that you are attached to, you don't have to throw it out. There are 5 choices of what you can do.



l. Take it back to the store(if you can find the receipt and it is a recent purchase).



2.Give it away to the Goodwill (They have people who repair clothes

in their stores.)



3. Throw it away



4. Have it repaired by a professional tailor or seamstress. (Can be very

expensive and priced over the value of the coat!)



5. Improvise (This is my option)



Here are 2 easy options you can use with out taking the zipper out. Many of us just don't have the time or patients to repair such a garment.



Tip # one: If the zipper's teeth are missing in the upper portion of the

coat, sew a small button that preferably match the coat or blend, in the same spot so that the zipper won't go pass that area and come off track.

This is something I did with my grandchild's coat and it works.



Tip # two: Sew Velcro on the coat in small stitches either by hand or by
sewing machine to close the coat in 2-3 different area of the coat. This option is the best when the zipper's teeth is in one unit. You'll see one unit zippers with plastic zippers.

Velcro, I've noticed is used on many children's coats in combination with snap fasteners and buttons.
I believe the purpose of Velcro on children's clothing and
shoes is to encourage your child's independence. Having both snaps or buttons along with Velcro too on a child's coat, help integrate a gradual approach towards the child's development on fastening their coats.



Young children get very frustrated when they cannot do something;
especially, when they see others do so with ease. My 3-yr-old
grandson has graduated to putting his coat on with the hood up near his head instead of it dragging on his legs. He is very happy he can wear his
yellow and black coat again; with this solution, this coat will probably be passed down to his 18 month old brother.


Velcro is a great product to use for individuals who have carpal tunnel
syndrome, arthritis, and other disabilities. We already see it used more and more on shoes for anyone. I believe it is safer and very time-saving!


As baby boomers age, how they purchase clothing and accessories (tote bags, handbags, hats,etc.) will also include Velcro.
Velcro come in different sizes, shapes and colors. They are great for
pocket closures for a little extra protections for the item we carry around with us like cellphones and keys.

So, don't throw away that cute coat! Improvise and save some Money!!

by Thelma Harcum

Elton John and Billy Joel - Face 2 Face Tour Tickets



The Complete Book of Sewing

THINKING GREEN, LIVING GREEN

Green Living IdeasLiving Green: A Practical Guide to Simple SustainabilityEasy Green Living: The Ultimate Guide to Simple, Eco-Friendly Choices for You and Your Home

Happy Earth Week!

Recycling is the first start, but how you buy products in another issue that can reduce the landfill of unwanted products to begin with.

Look for the labels that say biodegradable. When you buy from local farmers, it cut down on buying packaged goods, saving paper production and also, enable you to eat more healthily while supporting the farmers.

We can bring our own bags- tote bags are highly recommend-to place our food purchases in. It cut down on the use of plastics and paper!

You can bring your own coffee or water container to work to cut down also on paper, plastics, and Styrofoam cups.

Walking and biking to the places you need to shop can cut down on the fuel emissions and help promote better health; and save money in your pockets.

The fresh outdoor air help build better lung capacity, thereby, giving you more energy and stamina.

If you live in the inner city, it is a good idea to walk early in the morning and with a friend for safety. Mall walking have become a favorite pastime not only to exercise, but to socialize.

I always read the labels and look for the natural cleaning products when I shop. On the other hand, I'm from the old school and think that bleach for sanitizing, Arm and Hammer baking powder for baths and household cleaning, and olive oil for skin and hair as well as for cooking, can work circles around a lot of expensive products.
However, it is exciting to see many of our major stores and super markets jumping on the green wagon. Many stores have aisles and sections in their stores just for organic products and green products!

With the gas prices going sky high, the best advice I can give you is to plan you day with your family for going places and try to get your errands done in proximity to each other.
You can save money just by switching vehicles. Us the smaller economic car and keep the van at home for short runs. Today, every dollar counts!

Also, if a group is going someplace specific and it is a distance or parking challenge(such as in the city, high parking fees), some of you can park somewhere(probably a mall) and drive the rest of the way with several of you in one car.

Many of us are addicted to the car; however, if we have a breakdown of the transportation system (high price gas for cars)as we know it today, we urgently need to start to make changes now!

Taking the bus, train, and car pooling are some of the other alternatives.

It has been on the news, that we are in a recession, and I feel it is up to us to save ourselves!

All week, this week, there will be a ton of information on TV, radio, newspaper and on the Internet on how you can keep green; not just today, but all year!

by Thelma Harcum

Love Notes Here and There and. . . .

Webster's New World Letter Writing HandbookHoughton Mifflin Strategic Business Letters and E-mail, Paperback, 374 pages (0618448330)Yahoo! Personals 7 Day FREE Trial offer

LOVE NOTES!!

The other day, I was asked by my daughter, who was rushing for work, to make her daughter, Nia, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for her school lunch.

I noticed a little note with cute drawing of flowers and hearts in her lunch bag. It was a cute little note written by my daughter, Melissa, to Nia. It said in so many words, how very special she is, how much she loves her and hope she has a great day! Love, Mom (kisses and hugs)

Can you imagine how wonderful my granddaughter felt when she read that little love note from her mother!

The point about those little love notes we sometimes like to write is that it can mean so much to a child, too. Today, children and adults are going through a different period in their lives as we advance in new technology, changes in family structure, and the fast pace of life in general.

It is a good thing to take a little time to show a little love with a little "write".

Even at the table, you can leave little notes with your own home-grown art at each person's plate. You can have each member of your family draw and write little love notes to each other or to write a poem where it can be read aloud. What fun this could be. You can make one day of the week family creative day and have fun! This could include writing jokes, stories, and quotes.

You can leave a love note in your husband's (or wife) wallet, jacket pocket, suitcase, business case, and around his personal coffee or water cup, etc. Can you imagine the feeling of someone
caring for you that much after discovering a love note!

Last, but not least, send one(love note) to yourself! (It's getting a little too expensive to send yourself flowers! I--use-to.) Yes! I said it right! Who should love you more than yourself! Put-it-in-the-mail! Write something nice about yourself and share it with your children. They will all get a terrific laugh about it. Every once in a while, suprise them and send them a little love note in the mail. Everyone love getting that kind of mail!

But, be careful!
Once my brother sent me a birthday card. The new boyfriend I was seeing at the time thought it was from another guy. My brother wrote love statements all over the card and forgot to sign it. It was a little tough explaining that this card was from one of my 8 brothers and that 7 more birthday cards will probably be coming!

Do you know someone who needs a little love note? Why not do it today!! A LOVE NOTE!

By Thelma Harcum

My Affiliates:

Ink a Drawing - wikiHow

Ink a Drawing - wikiHow

Elton John and Billy Joel - Face 2 Face Tour Tickets

Art Note Cards Make Great Gifts for You and Others

Art Note Cards

I've always enjoyed receiving Art Note Cards. My watercolor teacher, Alice Steer Wilson, AWS (now deceased but her art and spirit lives), gave all her students her art note cards at the end of the watercolor class course. They were so beautiful that I hardly wanted to use them. However, I end up sending them to share the beauty of her artistry with others.

Why are note cards so special?

Well, first of all, it is about the art. When you design them yourself, you get a special satisfaction of accomplishment of creating. Does it have to
be perfect? No, because art is interpreted in the mind of the buyer and creator.
That's why I love the drawing of young children as well as my own.
Children's perception of the world is special onto itself. Through
their artistry, you can get the opportunity to know this special person-
how they think and many times, how they feel.

I had a relative who passed recently and was happy I had my note cards
with me to send something to the family as a condolence. I did not
know if I would be able to attend the funeral or not-I am in recovery from an illness and did not think I could travel the distance. But the idea of
contacting the family and sending them a note card I made was the best I could do.
I keep a little basket of promotional items in my car at all time to post
a business card, a flyer, and sample note cards to give to those individuals I meet. I feel marketing is whereever you are; just be thinking marketing
all the time and it will help you. And, oh, don't forget the stamps-comes in handy for paying a bill on the quick!

Another reason for buying note cards is that you can write your own
expressions in it. How wonderful when a person take the time and express their love or care for you-in their handwriting. We are living in such a technological age, we forget how to make it personal.

If you don't know what to say in writing in a note card, take the time
and write in your special notebook, phrases you would say for a birthday,
for Christmas and other holidays; for a sympathy note, for a get well note and even for a thinking of you note. All said and done, I know that you know that perhaps this will not happen because when you are pressing pen to paper, you will not even look for this list-maybe you will. This will opportune you the time to make your writing personal and of the moment. Storing information like a list of any sort in a designated place(labeled envelops, boxes, notebooks)will surely help you organize better-especially when you have many hobbies or tasks to do.
Note cards can be your stimulus to getting back to writing; perhaps to
write a book or an article. It is the simplicity of anything to make a start!
Perhaps you can make your own art note cards and give them as gifts-but most of all use them yourself! Now that's POWER!!

I have several art note cards and other goodies on my website at stores.ebay.com/homedecorsandenterprises
Cheers!
Thelma Harcum
My Affiliates:

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How to Draw What You See (Practical Art Books)Art: Over 2,500 Works from Cave to ContemporaryArt: A World HistoryThe Usborne Complete Book of Art Ideas (Usborne Art Ideas)The Art Book for Children, Book Two

Save a Little, Live a Little

World's First Raw Organic Food "Cooking" TV Show5 Meals for $5 - How to Feed 5 People 5 Meals for $5.00 - $8.00 or Less! You Don't Need to Be Wealthy To Eat HealthyFix, Freeze, Feast: Prepare in Bulk and Enjoy by the Serving - More than 125 RecipesSemi-Homemade Money-Saving Slow-Cooking: 128 Quick-to-Cook Meals

As the world change, so do we. The prices for the bare necessities of life is starting to affect many people. I was in the grocery store the other day and saw how the price of bread has gone up. I love to eat wheat bread in particular and thought that if the price is going up this high, I had better cut it out. Another thought was, no, I just can't cut out my bread! Wheat bread and 100% whole grains, offers a great source of fiber and other nutrients. If you are like myself, and just love bread, you can save money by buying in bulk at a store like Sam's or BJ's or make your own bread. If you have the need for bread, why not make some wheat pancakes or pancake mix of your choice, to serve with you dinner. It's easy, available, and delicious to eat. If you make some for breakfast, save one for supper. I remember my mother, who was a southern cook, would make "wholecake" bread on the weekends with simple flour, baking soda, salt and oil knead in a large round flat dough and placed in a frying pan with a little oil; cooked on both sides. It was quick and easy and very good. You can do the same thing with dough rolled out and placed in the oven. There you would get a type of pita bread used for many of the wrap sandwiches. With this type of homemade flatten dough, you can make pizza of your choice, or a breakfast omelet fillings on it. This type of bread can be used for dips and sauces at parties. Just cut it up in small pieces and place them on a dish around you sauces or dips. You can even use natural food color to give a little excitement to your bread. Kids love it! Biscuits and rolls can be made very simply and you can save some for another day by placing them in a plastic freezers bag and into the freezer. We live in a time where we are so pressed for time. However, what I know best, is to prepare for today, but also make and save a little for tomorrow and live a little easier. by Thelma Harcum stores.ebay.com/homedecorsandenterprises