Let the Christmas Buyer Beware

Boy number 2 loves cars! For his fourth birthday all he wanted were some cars! No expensive video games or electronics. No clothes ( who EVER wants clothes? ) or bikes or gadgets. Just cars! That makes shopping easy. almost...

Now, three weeks later I discover that around 80% of the toys on retailers shelves are made in China. And despite last year's warnings - we still get toys from our Chinese friends laden with too much lead in the paint.

Well - back in the Summer - our elected officials passed legislation aimed at making our childrens' toys safer. And President Bush promptly signed it into law! This new law is effective February 9, 2009. That's right - in 2009!!! This sad tale gets even worse. Recently published reports tell us that the Consumer Product Safety Commission - who enforces these newly enacted laws - has told the toy makers that if they still have any toys with the harmful amounts of lead or other dangerous chemical - not to worry. They can keep selling these potentially dangerous toys to the children in the USA until their stocks are depleted!!

Now, I'm all for the stockholders of Mattel and Disney making a good return on their investments. I just don't want my child having some toy with dangerous levels of ANY potentially harmful chemical. Toy company profits are far less important than our childrens health!

Are there any safe toys to give a child this Christmas?

Maybe this Christmas I'll just buy books ( hopefully books made in the states ) or DVDs or anything I can find that is free of the made in China stamp.

Maybe I'll get the boys the VeggieTales DVD Library - The Complete Collection

The Balancing Act

"Daddy, will you help me?" Five wonderful little words every parent loves to hear.

He has another birthday soon. Too soon. They just keep rolling by. The candles from last year's cake have just cooled off - it seems. Wasn't it just last month when he used to watch out the window as I left for few days on the road.

I can't ever recover those days away. The best any parent can do, I suppose, is to make the most of whatever precious time we have with our loved ones. Each day brings a new beginning.

I heard a teacher speak yesterday about child development. He said we ought to do everything we possible can to nurture, love and teach our children. To keep them healthy. To love them every chance we get. To teach them to read. And laugh. To make them feel safe.

Simple, basic, parenting advice. Too easily taken for granted. I hope I can do a much better of job of showing my boys how much I love them. Give them daily time and teachings. Provide a safe and healthy home environment - filled with love and healthy foods and good books.

I hope I can teach the boys some of the many ways to better grades in school. To encourage them to keep learning - even when they're not in the classroom! To show them that life is a balancing act. Having fun adn keeping healthy habits are just part of the balance. Learning and loving too!

Found this little ditty in Ephesians this morning:

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;

That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Ephesians 6: 1-4

How to get a child to do homework?

"But Dad, I don't want to be a Nerd" he cried out as i gently tried to get him to sit down and do some homework. The battle lasted for far too long. He employed every delay tactic I know of and then some. When his Mother, Step-Dad and I all tried to convince him of the importance of doing his homework he even burst into tears. Poor little guy - or was this simply yet another delay tactic.

" Not now, Dad - I'm watching this movie" Or, "Can't I please save this game first?" I wish I had never bought that silly little portable game player he spends way too much time with.

Does every parent experience these same challenges just getting their children to begin their homework? Maybe I've been too soft on him. Maybe I need to try a tougher approach.

God gives us a brief window - and a glorious one at that - to teach our children well. How we use this time is totally up to us. I know I need to do a better job of convincing him. To teach him discipline!

To teach him somehow how to fund a happy balance. Maybe these homework tips will be useful.