meta-dad

20 healthy ways Dad can praise his child

As parents we love to praise our kids. A good grade they got on a paper, a touch-down they got or cleaning up their room without being told – these are all fair examples. We feel this is the proper positive reinforcement they need to grow into healthy, well-balanced adults, right? Based on the results of over thirty years of scientific study is revealing More »

DIY Dad – Paint Your Own Piggy Bank

Looking for a simple craft project for the kids? Here’s a good one. These kits come complete with stickers, stamps, paint pots and brushes. Use this as an opportunity to talk about all the different ways people earn money, the positive impact of saving money. Financial advisers and academics alike all say More »

The expanding world of ‘Where the Wild Things Are’

Maurice Sendak’s ground-breaking 1963 book Where the Wild Things Are established him as a true visionary in the world of children’s literature. In 1964 he received the Caldecott Medal for the book, and More »

5 things parents should check before filing federal taxes

With everybody rushing to sign, seal and deliver their returns, you will want to take a moment to review recent federal tax changes and perhaps save a few bucks in the process.

1. Increase in investment income amount. The amount of taxable investment income these children can have without it being subject to tax at the parent’s rate has increased to $1,800 for 2008.

2. Adoption Benefits increased. For 2008, the maximum adoption credit has increased to $11,650. Also, the maximum exclusion from income for benefits under your employer’s adoption assistance program has increased to More »

The ‘Great Recession’ – food stamps & the family

Everyone from the auto industry to the porn industry is looking for bailouts from a young motivated presidency still being tested in their first 100 days. The stock market is still heading south. Jobs are still wilting away with no promise of returning. This sour economy has affected many parents & families in profound ways and there is no looking back.

Regardless of whether you are an individual or an entire family in need, you need to find out the facts, the facts about what resources and services are available to you. If an individual or family is currently earning less than 130% of the Federal poverty level [FPL] and their current household assets are below $2,000 you may be eligible for More »

Go fly a kite!

Flying a kite with the kids is yet another golden activity that holds great potential for learning, bonding and just having a little fun. Ever wonder exactly why and how a kite flies? Chances are at some point your kids may ask you, right? With a little digging around I have found some great sites for explaining why and how kites fly, believe it or not NASA’s Glenn Research Center has a fantastic (and thorough) explanation of exactly how and why a kite flies.

While the forces on all kites are the same, each kite flies a little differently. Some kites are highly maneuverable and some kites are very stable. There are kites with multiple control lines that can perform stunts, while other kites can be flown to high altitudes. We can use math techniques that you learn in school to determine the altitude of a kite graphically. With a little more knowledge of mathematics, you can actually calculate the altitude at which the kite is flying” ~ Kite Flight, NASA’s Glenn Research Center

I got my kids into kites last spring with a simple $5 classic delta design and 200′ of line. I think it was a Diego design, surprise-surprise. They were thrilled at the action we got from the nearby ocean breeze. But kids being kids, More »