Grandpa Richards Kids

Once again Grandpa Richard has had to learn about the newest craze from a person whose age only has one digit in it!

What is a Zhu Zhu Pet?

Zhu Zhu Pets are electronic toy hamsters and they are so hot this year that they caused a scuffle among Black Friday shoppers in Indianapolis. It is said that the online versions of Walmart and Toysrus have sold out of them. Some retailers are still selling them, but at four, five, even eight times their suggested retail price.

These electronic hamsters has been the runaway hit of the recession-hobbled holiday season so far. The furry little, wheeled critters scoot around a Habitrail-like track, spin in a hamster wheel, and drive little hamster sports cars. The battery-powered pets coo and squeak and have a little artificial intelligence—knowing to make teeth-brushing sounds when they enter their little bathrooms, for example. “They’re so real—without the mess,” chirps a television commercial.

Check out Amazon for possible stock.

I was shopping for groceries yesterday when a product caught my eye. Creamsicle ice cream. And it was on for 1/2 price!

That brought back memories of my childhood, when Creamsicles were one of my favourite treats. The other frozen treat high on my list was Fudgesickles.

Then, as I continued around the store, pecan pie appeared. When I was in high school (I know, that’s a bit old for Grandpa Richard’s Kids, but it is related!) mom used to buy me pecan pies to try and help me gain weight. Nobody else was allowed a slice. Just me.

Have you had a childhood flashback, of either yourself or your children, while shopping for groceries? Share it in the comment section.

My 6 year old grand daughter loves critters.

They live in the country and she is always wanting a container to put her new “pet” into. Sometimes it is a frog or toad. Other times a mole or similar, or maybe a baby bird.

The other day she came across a potential pet that she decided not to try and keep. A 2 foot snake. (see photo)

The interesting thing is where she found the snake.

Under her bed, on the second floor of the house.

That evening, she did not want to go to bed. I just happened to be visiting, so I offered to go up with her. Well, the next thing I knew, I woke up (still on top of her bed) and stumbled downstairs to find out it was 3 am and my grand daughter was asleep on the smaller living room couch. Her uncle was asleep on the other couch.

I really bugged her in the morning about abandoning grandpa to fend for himself! She offered no defense.

And the snake? It was released back in to the wild, hopefully never to bother with a human house again.

(but if you remember Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, there was an incident with a snake, and it suggested that snakes travel in mated pairs!!! So where is this one’s mate?)

If you are a parent, and a Harry Potter fan, you may find this article interesting.

We all know that Evian (brand of bottled water) is just Naive spelled backwards, but their newest ad is AWESOME!!!

Talk about a cool use of technology.

My eldest daughter has decided to do the blogging thing! She has 2 pre-schoolers and her blog is called My Adventures in Mommyhood. You should visit it, as I know you will enjoy her postings about motherhood and children.

Leave her some comments as well.

The full address is myadventuresinmommyhood.com/.

I apologize for my absence. Have been very busy with family matters and workload at the office as well.

My granddaughter’s family is in the process of moving to an old farm house. Jasmine really likes the outdoors and we have been exploring her new “yard”. This weekend’s discovery was tadpoles. She has not encountered them before and was very curious. Like many children, she wanted to capture some in a cup.

I am a bit sad that I cannot go out there each day so we can go watch the tadpoles grow and transform. Jasmine has been taught that she cannot go away from the house alone. We will go down to the creek next weekend together and see what has happened.

All parents worry about whether they have done everything possible to ensure their child’s safety. As our children grow the task sometimes seems to get a bit more difficult. Their sense of adventure and bravery heightens which means that nothing in their path is off limits. Even with strict rules and safety guidelines, children are apt to curiously investigate things- which is often how they get hurt. In order to help you, here is a quick list of reference points to remind all parents about the places in the home and beyond that should never be overlooked when it comes to the implementation of child safety measures!

The Busy Parent Guide to Child Safety!

• Check your home for electrical hazards. Cords, uncovered sockets or faulty appliances.

• If your children have learned to open up the safety locks on drawers and cabinets – purchase a large plastic pantry (available at home improvement stores) that can be locked. This can be used to store all chemicals and dangerous items and cannot be manipulated by anything but a key!
• Medications, prescriptions and other medical instruments and devices should be kept where children can not find them. The number to poison control should be listed at all times in an obvious location.
• Make sure that all heavy furniture, TV’s, stereos and other things are secured to the wall when possible.
• No home (even one without kids) should be without a fire detector and carbon monoxide detector. Make it part of your routine to perform maintenance often and keep them in working order. They should be on every floor and near every bedroom. Make a fire plan with your kids.
• Keep an old fashioned corded phone in the home in case of power outages but be sure that little kids cannot become entangled in the cord.
• Keep knives and other sharp objects out of drawers where kids can accidentally reach in and cut themselves.
• Inspect your outdoor play areas for ants, spiders, snakes and make sure that your decking and railings throughout are stable.
• If you have stairs in the home, make sure baby baby safety are used at the top and bottom. Only used installed gates at the top and never place scatter rugs near the tops of stairs.
• Never place beds or furniture near windows. Windows that are low to the ground should be equipped with safety locks to prevent children from falling out.
• Keep your water heater set at 120 degrees to prevent burns and scalds.
• Constantly be on the lookout for choking hazards. These can be parts from small toys or even things such as a staple or paper clip.
• Keep doors leading outdoors locked so young children can’t inadvertently wander outside.
• Keep fans, air conditioners, VCRS and any other things that can trap small fingers out of reach at all times.
• Travel through your home on hands or knees or at your child’s level so you can see danger from their point of view.
• Never leave children unsupervised! This is especially true while in the bathroom or around water!

Or maybe it is the Terrific Two’s.

My grandson is actually getting close to 3, and his mom says that he is starting to form sentences. What an awesome time of life. I sure wish I was closer to him right now.

Here is a simple, yet fantastic example.

The other day while sitting in the parking lot at Superstore, Brendan turns to his mom and says “Mommy the sun touched my face!”. It was a sunny day and he was feeling the warmth through the car window.

[p.s. I would love to hear similar stories from other grandparents, or even parents! Leave them in the comment box that appears when you click on Comment above this, just under the article title (or just below this article if you are on a single article page)

Thanks]

Grandpa Richard lives by many of these tips, and his food bill is quite reasonable, even though he has a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables in his diet. I personally do not believe that I need meat every day, but I definitely miss it if I do not have some fruit and a salad each and every day!

As many Canadians feel the pinch of tough economic times, it is important to remember that healthy meals and snacks do not have to cost a fortune.

“Children need proper nourishment for healthy development,” says Wendy Wong, president and CEO, Breakfast for Learning. “Despite a challenging economy and rising food costs, providing nutritious foods can still be affordable, even on a tight budget.”

Breakfast for Learning offers these helpful tips:

• Prepare meals at home. Find nutritious recipes your family enjoys and stock your cupboards with affordable, healthy staples likes canned tomatoes, beans and brown rice. Pack healthy lunches and snacks for school days. More recipe ideas are available online at www.breakfastforlearning.ca.

• Try meat alternatives. Decreasing your meat consumption can help stretch your grocery budget and is a great opportunity to try different types of protein sources like beans, tofu, and lentils.

• Avoid pre-made packaged foods. Pre-made, processed foods are more expensive. Fresh foods can provide children with healthy food choices and less salt.

• Make wise produce selections. Buy in-season fruit and vegetables (like a variety of apples in the fall), or purchase frozen or canned. If possible, purchase canned fruit packed in water.

“Meeting the demands of today’s economy can be hard, but making healthier food options does not have to be,” continues Wong. “Help ensure child nutrition is not compromised by making it a priority at home and at school. Give children the proper nourishment they need to grow up strong and healthy.”

Nutrition education resources, recipes and more information about child nutrition programs can be found online at www.breakfastforlearning.ca.

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