Nanny Net News

---------------------Nanny Net News------------------------
A newsletter for Parents, Nannies and Agency Owners
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Vol. 2, No. 2 December 2000
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Deborah Smith, Editor 
Parents With Nannies, Inc.
Deborah@4Nanny.com

This newsletter is distributed by subscription only. If you
wish to unsubscribe, you can find instructions at the end of
this newsletter.
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IN THIS ISSUE
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> A Note from the Editor 

> Ready, Set, Grow!
by Eileen Morris and Stephanie Pereau Crilly

> Holiday Craft Idea
Good Deed Advent Jar

> Websites for Holiday Fun
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A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR:

Hi everyone,
Well, Happy Holidays! Can you believe they're almost here?
I don't know about you all, but my Christmas shopping isn't even
close to being finished. 

How many of you are shopping online this 
holiday? I have picked up a few things. Actually, I'm including
a couple of my favorite gift sites at the bottom of this newsletter.
If you have some favorites, please send them my way. I'm always 
interested in new shopping sites. Especially for the kids.

This month's Newsletter is dedicated to activities and ideas
for the holiday. I've spent the past month combing the web
for fun and interesting holiday sites that I hope you will
find helpful in getting the kids active in holiday preparations.
We've stumbled on some great sites for easy homemade gift ideas,
holiday safety and organization tips. 

And for all you super organized nuts out there who are 
already finished with your holiday shopping and can relax and
enjoy the holidays, bake cookies, visit Santa at the mall and
build wonderful holiday memories, I say...Baaah Hum Bug. Think 
of me on line at Macys.

Enjoy,
Deborah Smith
Editor

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NOVEMBER SWEEPSTAKES
The winner of the Children Are My Priority Watch is
Melissa Garman from Summit, NJ.

Congratulations Melissa. Your prize is on its way!

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BOOK OF THE MONTH
This month's featured book is a favorite of mine and one that
I thought would be perfect for the holiday season. 
Get Ready, Set, Grow is an easy-to-use calendar for those
of you who are working with or raising children in the
3 to 5 year age range. This calendar is packed full of lesson
plans and ideas that will help your days run a little 
smoother and give your children lots of worthwhile learning
activities. We have excerpts of a Christmas page and a 
Hanukkah page for your enjoyment. Please take a look and
put some of the great ideas to work for you.
Get Ready Set Grow

To Order The Book

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TEACH CHILDREN ABOUT THE GIFT OF GIVING
by Evelyn Petersen 

As Christmas draws near, its accompanying marketing frenzy 
and the continual "I want" heard from children in stores 
motivates this letter to readers.

Parents, please, if you want to do something really special 
for your children this year, help them learn about giving 
instead of getting. Most of today`s kids do not have 
"generosity of spirit". They don`t understand what giving 
is about. THIS IS A FAMILY VALUE WHICH WE MUST TAKE TIME
TO TEACH. 

Children who are only on the receiving end of Christmas 
gifts have no concept of the true meaning of Christmas. 
In addition, they are completely deprived of the joy that 
comes from giving something meaningful to another person. 
We need to stop emphasizing what to give the children, 
and spend some time teaching them how to give to others. 

If you help your children make simple gifts for others, 
you will give them long lasting feelings of satisfaction 
and self esteem that will prove far more gratifying than 
any battery operated toy. The time you spend (a few hours 
on several weekends) will be well worth it in terms of 
things money can`t buy...family values, communication 
and traditions. 

NOW is the time to start planning gifts your children 
will make. Have a "Christmas Club" meeting with your kids 
this weekend to list people for whom they want to make 
gifts and plan what to make. Block off a few hours the next 
few weekends to make the gifts, saving the weekend before 
Christmas for gifts they will bake and for gift wrapping. 

Keep home made gifts simple. Children have limited craft 
skills, and parents have limited time to gather and set 
up materials and provide guidance. Don`t wait; start now. 
The closer it gets to Christmas, the harder it is to have 
time for this project, which is a family FUN thing, not a 
chore. 

Easy gifts that 2 to 5 year olds can make: decorated pencil 
cans, painted stone paperweights, pine cone bird feeders, 
tree ornaments, place mats, match box holders, decorated 
pillow cases, "books", stationary, candy, cookies, and 
play dough. 5 to 7 year olds can make all of the above as 
well as decoupage items, personalized plaques and tee 
shirts, original stories or poems, candles, terrariums, 
and more complex Christmas ornaments, crafts
and baked goods. 
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Ms. Petersen's nationally syndicated parenting column is 
carried in over 200 newspapers twice each week. As a 
family/parenting consultant, early childhood educator, 
Head Start consultant, and host of a series of parent 
training audio and video tapes, Ms. Petersen employs an 
approach of providing hands-on, nuts and bolts advice to 
parents across the country. Her new book "A Practical Guide 
to Early Childhood Planning: The What Why and How of Lesson 
Plans" has just been released.
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NOTE: Another great way to teach the kids the value of giving
is by organizing a "give away" before holidays and birthdays.
Get the little ones to sort through their belongings for some 
old toys and clothes to give away. The only rule is that 
they have to select items that are still of value, no broken toys,
stained or ripped clothes. 

Then take the kids and the box of goodies to your local
women's shelter or other children's charity and let your child 
present his or her box.

Afterward, talk about why it is important to give and try to imagine the
child's face who will receive these lovely gifts. Explain to your
children about money and those less fortunate. It is a great learning
experience for your children and a great reminder for us adults.
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GOOD DEED ADVENT JAR

Materials:

Reindeer Candy Holder 
(http://familycrafts.about.com/parenting/familycrafts/library/projects/blxmascanh.htm)
Construction Paper 
Markers or Crayons 

Instructions:
Make the Reindeer Candy Holder. (You can also just use a plain jar 
if you want, or decorate a jar as you want!)

Cut 24 small pieces of paper, approximately 2 inches by 3 inches. 
On each piece of paper, write down a good deed. Fold up these pieces 
of paper and place them in the jar.

Starting on December 1st, pick one good deed paper out of the jar. 
Do the good deed listed on the paper. Do this every day to help 
you count down the days until Christmas. On Christmas eve, after you
do your last good deed, your jar will be empty; why not fill it with 
treats for santa!
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WEBSITES FOR HOLIDAY FUN

CHRISTMAS CRAFTS FOR KIDS

http://crafterscommunity.com/kids/holiday/simplexmas.html
http://familycrafts.about.com/parenting/familycrafts/index.htm?rnk=c1&terms=family+crafts
http://www.newhomemaker.com/family/parenting/holidaycraft.html
http://www.newhomemaker.com/crafts/cheapgifts.html
http://www.allcrafts.net/xmas.htm (Check out the 3D Patterns, really neat)
Online games and crafts, print and send Christmas cards, letter from Santa
http://www.billybear4kids.com/holidays/christmas/christms.htm

December Days (celebrate each day of December)
http://craftsforkids.miningco.com/parenting/craftsforkids/library/spdays/bldecdays00.htm

Holiday Safety
http://www.newhomemaker.com/family/parenting/safeholiday.html

Hanukkah
Stories, tasty holiday recipes, holiday pictures for 
the kids to print and color, easy crafts to make, holiday 
games to play, and spinning dreidels!
http://www.holidays.net/chanukah/
http://www.caryn.com/holiday/holiday-chan.html
http://www.billybear4kids.com/holidays/hanukkah/hanukkah.htm

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T-SHIRTS FOR THE NANNY AND KIDS IN YOUR LIFE!
http://www.4nanny.com/products.htm
Check out our adorable T's for the Kids
***Nanny T's are now available in Navy.
Be sure to get your order in as soon as possible to ensure
delivery before the holidays. 


Do you have a Thomas the Tank Engine fanatic in the house like
I do? Check out our new affiliate Terrific Trains.
No shipping charges for orders over $20.
http://www.4EverythingNanny.com/shopping_sites.htm


Check out our new Software Store through UnbeatableDeals.com. 
I personally use UnbeatableDeals and have been totally satisfied
with their service. The fabulous thing about UnbeatableDeals 
is that the software is FREE. Yep, all you pay is shipping. 
And I personally like the fact that they only send the CD, 
not the big box it normally comes in. I don't know about you, but
I always feel obligated to save the stupid box. This way I'm 
not being overrun by boxes and I'm saving a tree. :)
http://www.4EverythingNanny.com/shopping_sites.htm
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MUST SEE SITES

Get ready for the holidays at Chef Mom.com! Find recipes, 
menu planning, a cooking tips database, activities and more -- 
for this month and the whole year 'round! Chef Mom is an 
interactive cooking web site, offering articles, how-tos and an 
online recipe exchange, where you can add recipes, search 
by ingredient and print off favorites. Visit now! 
http://ChefMom.com 
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Get $20 in FREE Gifts for Your Child from Brighter Vision 
Learning Adventures (TM) that Child Magazine highlights as 
a "gotta-have 'em, can't live without 'em" parent product! 
Brighter Vision invites you to try out the LEARNING ADVENTURES 
program with a free shipment of educational books and activities 
that are worth over $20. Get fun, educational, and age
appropriate activities designed to prepare your child aged 
1 through 6 for success in school. Click here for this free offer! 
http://www.learningadventures.com/4nanny-DXT4
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Looking for fun places to go with children in the Chicagoland 
area? Check out Fun Places To Go With Kids for a free insider's 
guide to planning fun-filled daytrips with children that 
includes descriptions of attractions, hours, costs, how to 
prepare, and what we liked about these places. At 
http://www.FunPlacesToGoWithKids.com you'll find places like 
museums, theme parks, entertainment centers, sports, seasonal, 
restaurants, animal attractions, and outdoor activities. 
Find the information you need to plan a wonderful day with your kids.

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I hope you have enjoyed this month's issue of Nanny Net News.
HAVE A VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON EVERYONE! 
See you next year. 

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(www.4EverythingNanny.com) 
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