Search Results for: blog fall sports and your child

4 Ways to Deal with the High Cost of Kids Sports and Activities

Today, it is not surprising to hear that parents are spending anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 a year per child on sports, dance or other activities. In some cases, that amount can be even higher, when there are several children in the family and each are taking several activities at a time. According to financial guru Dave Ramsey, “some parents can spend up to $10,000 a year funding their child’s athletic pursuits.” Why is the cost so high these days? First of all there is equipment that parents much purchase, everything from figure skates or hockey skates, to baseball equipment … Continue reading →

Broken Collarbone (Clavicle Fracture) and Kids

What are the symptoms of a broken collarbone? Here are the signs of a clavicle fracture in a child. Unfortunately, as of today, we know this first hand. Well, we were getting pretty close to making it through to teen hood without any broken bones. I thought I would someday get the mom of the year award. My youngest little guy ruined my chances today when it was revealed that he had broken his collarbone. Apparently, a clavicle fracture is pretty common, especially in children. The collarbone is one of those rare bones that are not covered in muscle, but … Continue reading →

Encouraging Your Child to Keep Going

We sign our children up for activities and sports because of the fun and the education. Often we allow the child to pick a sport or instrument to gage their interests. Some parents get discouraged when a child seems to have a lack of interest in any extra-curricular activities. The reason is simple. A child does not have the experience or knowledge to know what he may like. The same way we make them try different foods or know the right Christmas gift even when the child gave no direction is how we guide extra-curricular activities. Yes, you simply pick … Continue reading →

Buying Used? Keep It Short and Simple

It can be scary buying used because you often don’t know where something has been or how it has been used or taken care of by the previous owner or owners. While you want to save money by buying used, you certainly don’t want to waste money by buying something that is going to fail or break. Keep it Simple One way to ensure that you get a good value on your used purchase, is to keep it simple. The more simple an item is then the less chance there is for something to break or go wrong with it. … Continue reading →

Shooting Spring Sports

We are less than a month away from the start of baseball season. The pros throw out the first pitch on March 31st while many high school and intramural teams batter up in just a couple of weeks. My nephews are diehard baseball fans and even bigger little league players. They live, eat, and breathe baseball throughout the year, but spring, summer and fall are the only times I can capture them with my camera on the field. Last year I failed miserably trying to get a few frame worthy shots of them in action. This year, however, I have … Continue reading →

Scrapping Your Child’s Favorite Sport

Are you ready for some football… scrapbooks? High school football is huge around these parts. We live in a rural area, so there isn’t much to do on a Friday night other than cheer on local high schools as they battle it out on the gridiron week after crisp fall week. Given my child’s age and gender, my family doesn’t frequent the games too often, but when we do, I am always shocked by the number of parents jockeying for space on the sidelines in order to snap keepers of their kids. Our neighbor’s son plays for one of the … Continue reading →

Homeschool groups and resources in Michigan

Involvement with other homeschoolers is very important to a family’s success in homeschooling. Joining a homeschool network or support group in your area will make a difference in your homeschooling journey. This installment is for Michigan. Adventurers Homeschool Association Christian co-op that meets weekly for classes just south of Ypsilanti, MI Christian Home Educators of Midland Ministry, Inc. (CHEMinistry) Christian Home Educators of Midland Ministry, Inc. We are a Midland-based, Christian, nonprofit home school support group that serves families in Mid-Michigan. Christian Home Educators Support System (CHESS) homeschool co-op founded in the fall of 1993. Capital Homeschool Athletic Program (CHAP) … Continue reading →

Would You Send Your Child to Forest Kindergarten?

Yesterday, my daughter and I went on a lovely walk. We walked down to a local park, into the forest, and down to the creek, where we sat for half an hour, simply watching the deep, green water. A cottonwood leaf floated by in the current, and we talked about how the water moves quietly and powerfully underneath the surface. We jumped on rocks and we climbed a big boulder. All in all, we were out for about 4 hours, just walking and smelling the fall leaves and watching the water on a beautiful November day. The morning inspired me … Continue reading →

Winter Essentials for Preschoolers: Sports and Toys

Ah, winter is coming. I work outside, and I can feel the days getting colder. After exploring the leaves and trails all fall, it’s time to prepare for snow! Now, I also live in a very temperate climate where it tends to rain more than it snows. However, last winter we had an epic snowstorm – for us. We had about 4 to 5 feet of snow on the ground at one time, and for timid West Coasters, that’s a lot. Last winter we felt rather bogged down by the snow. We had our trusty toboggan from days gone by … Continue reading →

Keeping Your Kids Fit and Safe This Summer

Now that school’s out millions of kids across the nation are spending their summer days having fun on the soccer field, basketball court and in the swimming pool. While these activities are great ways to burn calories and stay in shape, they often lead to sports-related injuries such as bruises, scrapes and broken bones. In fact, a new report shows that sports-related injuries accounted for 22 percent of hospital emergency department visits for children ages 5 to 17 in 2007. If you have an active young son, then you might not be surprised by the new findings. After all, according … Continue reading →