The health benefits of pet ownership are well-documented, including reduced stress, lowered blood pressure and increased self-esteem. Richard Peterson, Vice President of Education for Kiddie Academy (www.KiddieAcademy.com), a national educational child care provider, offers a new perspective — a dog can serve as a living, breathing teaching tool.
“Living with a dog can be extremely beneficial for children’s educational development. In fact, many classrooms include visits from Reading Education Assistance Dogs or therapy dogs to help us teach lessons about community helpers, character education and literacy.”
Kiddie Academy’s Richard Peterson offers five lessons children can learn from the family pooch:
Sequencing:
Learning how to properly sequence is an important literacy skill children need to practice in order to master reading comprehension. Dog ownership offers real world examples. For instance, to take the dog for a walk, I first need to be properly dressed, summon the dog, clip on the leash and walk outside. Parents can reinforce the lesson of sequencing by talking about what happens should you miss a step in the process – i.e., if the dog’s not on a leash before you leave the house, she may run outside and be hurt.
Cause and Effect:
Understanding why things happen the way they do is a life skill every child develops over time. Analysis of cause and effect relationships is a task a child will practice throughout school (and life). Pets offer daily demonstrations of cause and effect in action. For example, I forgot to pick up my toy and as a result, the dog chewed it up.
Empathy:
Dogs excel at teaching the character trait of empathy. Pets often sense our moods, and offer a soothing presence in times of stress – making them great role models for children. Point out these canine behaviors to your child, and encourage them to think and talk about how they can incorporate them into their own lives.
Math and Science:
A family dog is a four-legged science experiment! Whether you explore together how wild animals became domesticated, or the non verbal communication skills they employ, your pet can provide countless science lessons. And something as simple as measuring the proper amount of food to give is an everyday application of math principles.
Listening:
By design, dogs pay close attention and learn about their environment in order to survive. Listening and following directions is also important for school success. Children can test the application of listening skills by teaching simple commands to a dog, such as sit and stay. Fido also makes the perfect audience to keep a child’s secrets and listen to their stories.
On the same day it won two Academy Awards® including Best Animated Feature, “Frozen,” Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 53rd feature film, crossed $1 billion at the worldwide box office. The biggest non-sequel animated film ever released and the second biggest animated film of all time globally, “Frozen” has earned an estimated $388.8 million at the domestic box office and $611.5 million internationally for a global total of $1,000.3 million. It is The Walt Disney Studios’ seventh release to reach the $1 billion mark, joining “Marvel’s The Avengers” and “Iron Man 3,” Disney’s second and fourth “Pirates of the Caribbean” films, Disney•Pixar’s “Toy Story 3,” and Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland.”
“With ‘Frozen,’ we knew we had something truly special on our hands, and it has connected with fans and filmgoers around the world in a way we only dreamed was possible,” said Alan Horn, Chairman, The Walt Disney Studios. “Animation is the cornerstone of our company, and thanks to the vision, dedication, and talent of our tremendous cast and filmmaking team, Disney Animation has come roaring back with a new classic for fans of all ages.”
Universally embraced by audiences and critics alike, “Frozen” is the winner of two Academy Awards®, for Best Animated Feature and Original Song (“Let It Go”). This the first animated feature Oscar® win for Walt Disney Animation Studios in the category’s 13-year history. The film has also won Golden Globe®, BAFTA, Critics’ Choice, and Producers Guild of America awards for best animated film, five Annie Awards, and four Visual Effects Society Awards, among many other honors. The film is directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee and produced by Peter Del Vecho.
“Frozen” opened wide domestically on November 27, 2013, following a five-day exclusive engagement at Disney’s El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles. In its record-setting nationwide opening, “Frozen” became the #1 all-time Thanksgiving debut with a $93.6M five-day gross and a $67.4M Friday–Sunday gross over the holiday period. It was Walt Disney Animation Studios’ biggest opening ever. “Frozen” was the #1 movie in its second weekend of wide release and, after posting stellar numbers throughout the holiday season, returned to the top spot four weeks later in its sixth weekend. Due to popular demand, a special sing-along version of the film opened in theaters nationwide January 31, its 10th weekend of wide release. “Frozen” has remained in the top 10 films at the domestic box office for all 14 weeks of its wide release, the longest run by any film in four years.
Internationally, “Frozen” is the biggest animated film released by The Walt Disney Studios in more than 25 territories, including Russia, China, and Brazil, and Walt Disney Animation Studios’ biggest release in over 50 territories, including UK/Ireland, Australia, Mexico, and Argentina, as well as the Latin America region as a whole. In Korea, “Frozen” was #1 for the first five weeks of release and is now the biggest animated film, the second biggest non-local film, and Disney’s biggest release of all time. It’s also the highest-grossing animated film of all time in Denmark and Venezuela, and the biggest non-sequel animated film in the U.K./Ireland. “Frozen” debuts in one remaining international territory, Japan, on March 14.
As a parent you’re seeking answers about why your kids do the things they do? While we may never understand their choices in clothing or hair color, we do have some insight on why smoking may be on your child’s radar.
Blaming peer pressure is old school. According to Dr. Michael Popkin, published parenting expert and spokesperson for the youth smoking prevention program “Real Parents Real Answers,” kids may choose to smoke for a number of reasons, but six of the most common include: peer conformity, popular media, lack of confidence, self medication, boredom and misinformation.
Peer Conformity – Peer pressure may still exist, but peer conformity is having an even greater influence on kids. Instead of “friends” convincing your kids they should smoke, your child may willingly choose to smoke because of internal pressure they’re putting on themselves to fit in.
Popular Media – Parents may have limited control about the social group their child chooses to hang out with, but a parent can monitor their child’s media intake. Studies show that kids who have seen three or more R-rated movies may be more likely to start smoking than those who had not.
Lack of Confidence – Boosting your child’s self confidence can make them less susceptible to experimenting with cigarettes. A confident child understands that the short-term benefit of fitting in does not outweigh the long-term costs of smoking.
Self Medication – Being a tween and teen is challenging. Turning to cigarettes, drugs or alcohol to help lessen stress or as an escape from reality is an easy and accessible way for kids to make a quick fix.
Boredom – Some children have a tough time being alone or staying occupied, making them a top candidate to experiment with smoking. The social aspect of smoking can create bonds between peers and fills the boredom void.
Misinformation – This is the most preventable reason kids choose to smoke. Peers exert a greater influence on behaviors than a parent, which means it’s critical your child be knowledgeable on the very real dangers of smoking.
Since launching in November 2013, 50ROOTS.com has become the premier source for “made in America” products for women, men, children, pets and the home.
“50ROOTS.com was designed to leverage American innovation while supporting local economies, designers and manufacturers,” said 50ROOTS.com co-founder Christa Gray Page. “We’re applying a cutting-edge approach to the principles of sustainability and strong communities.”
50ROOTS.com’s high-quality products are all manufactured by environmentally and socially responsible businesses located in the United States. A significant proportion of products are created using repurposed or upcycled materials.
The idea behind 50ROOTS.com is to tell the story of the small businesses whose products are featured.
Consumers are driving the demand for “made in America” products. Given a choice between an American-made product and an identical one made abroad, 78 percent of Americans would rather buy the American product, according to a national survey conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center.
50ROOTS.com’s products are carefully screened and fully tested in order to ensure only the nation’s finest selection. The company currently sells products created by businesses in more than a third of the U.S. states, with plans to feature at least one item from each of the 50 states.
After more than a decade in merchandising and product development, primarily in the fashion industry, Gray Page became concerned with the repercussions of outsourcing. 50ROOTS.com was born from the co-founders’ desire for high-quality, American-made products developed through responsible business practices.
Join the Autobots’ best rescue team- CHASE, HEATWAVE, BLADES and BOULDER —for more fun-filled adventures!
TRANSFORMERS RESCUE BOTS: Heroes on the Scene, produced by Hasbro Studios, will be released on DVD March 18th, 2014by Shout! Factory Kids. Featuring five exciting episodes that the whole family can enjoy, this DVD is priced to own with a suggested retail price of $14.93.
In this collection, the Rescue Bots go undercover to protect the quiet little town of Griffin Rock from the green ooze known as the Squilsh, recover treasure stolen by pirates and help Griffin Rock recover from an earthquake! Along with their human friends, the Burns family, the Rescue Bots help keep people safe, and along the way they learn what it really means to be a hero!
Executive produced by Jeff Kline (TRANSFORMERS PRIME), TRANSFORMERS RESCUE BOTS features the vocal talents of LeVar Burton (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Lacey Chabert (Party of Five), Steve Blum (TRANSFORMERS PRIME), Maurice LaMarche (Emmy® Award winner for Futurama) and the legendary Peter Cullen who voices OPTIMUS PRIME when he makes cameo appearances in the series. The TRANSFORMERS RESCUE BOTS series is currently airing on The HUB TV Network.
