Things to do with your kids this summer on a budget

As the summer approaches finding things to do with your kids can be a challenge, especially if you are looking for things to do on a budget. If you are like me, you want to keep your kids busy during the summer doing fun activities, so they aren’t always on their electronics.  My girls are now teenagers at 13 and 14 years old. They love hanging out with their friends and this summer they will be busy playing softball, but on days they aren’t at the fields I wanted some go to activities I could entertain them with.  I have been doing several of these activities with my kids since they were toddlers and each year there are a few more things to choose from. It’s great to have more options. Here are a few of my favorites.

Since my girls are getting older they can now go to the gym and workout. We are fortunate to live in the city of Seminole and have a free gym at the Seminole Recreation Center. You have to be 12 years old to go with an adult, so they can both go with me. Be sure to check and see if your city’s recreation center offers free memberships to their residents. If you don’t have a free gym, you are in luck. This year Planet Fitness is offering free workouts for teens agers 15-18 all summer long from May 15 to September 1. You can find out more by clicking here. 

If your kids like going to the movies several of the theaters offer discounts on movies for kids during the summer. Cobb theaters offer Free Kids Summer Movie escape with free movies for kids starting June 11 and will continue every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 10am through the August 1. Some of the movies include Smallfoot, Smurfs, Curious George and more. We have several Cobb theaters in the area you can find out more information by going to their website by clicking here.  AMC theaters is offering a $4 special for kids and it includes a movie ticket and kids pack including a drink and popcorn. It is every Wednesday and the movies include Trolls, Lego Movie 2, Teen Titans Go and more. Here’s a link for more information click here. Studio Movie Grill offers movies for $5 on Tuesdays all year long and you can see any movie for $5.

If your kids like to fish the Kiwanis Club of Seminole Breakfast has several free fishing days for kids ages 14 years and younger. This summer mark your calendar for Saturday, June 1 and August 3 from 8am-11am. Fishing is done at Taylor Park located at 1100 8th Avenue SW in Largo. They provide the bait and the fishing poles. On August 10 from 9am-3pm Angler Armory is hosting a back to school free fishing day at Madeira Beach Recreation Center, 200 Rex Place, Madeira Beach. They will have bounce houses, raffles, food, prizes and more. Every kid 15 years and younger will get a free membership to Angler Armory. For more information go to their website by clicking here.  Gates open at 8am that day to register.

If it’s too hot to be outdoors or maybe it’s raining and you want to get the kids out of the house, there are quite a few deals to go to museums for free this summer. If your child is a fourth grader they can get a voucher to go to museums for free this summer. The program is called Every Kid in a Park. Kids can get free admission by visiting the website by clicking here. There is also a program called Museums on Us if you are a Bank of America, Merrill Lynch or U.S Trust cardholder. You can get a free ticket on the first full weekend of every month at over 225 participating museums including The Florida Aquarium, Tampa Museum of Art, Florida Holocaust Museum and Museum of Fine Arts. You can find out more here. Don’t forget Glazer Children’s Museum always offers the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County free Tuesdays the first Tuesday of the month from noon to 6pm. They are located at 110 W. Gasparilla Plaza in Tampa. The museum is great for kids ages birth to 10 years old.

I know bowling and roller skating is fun to do with the kids. Did you know you can do it for free all summer long? The Kids Bowl Free program offers two games a day of bowling all summer long. All you have to do is pay for the shoes. If you have shoes you don’t pay a thing. You must register here. Locally we have some great bowling alleys all over Pinellas County participating in this program including Seminole Lanes in Seminole, Liberty Lanes in Largo, Sunrise and Ten Pin Lanes in St. Petersburg, Maple Lanes Countryside in Clearwater and Dunedin Lanes in Dunedin. Go to the website for other participating bowling alleys. Kids must be between 2-14 to register. 

I found locally Astro Skate in Pinellas Park, 10001 66th Street N. offers free skating for kids 12 years and younger. Skating passes are good for Wednesdays and Saturdays from 6:30 pm- 8:30 pm. You can find out other participating locations on the website and register here. 

It’s important for kids to read this summer and if they read they can get a free book at Barnes and Noble. Kids grades 1-6 can earn a free book. Go here to register your child and start reading. My girls have done this the past several years and it does seem to motivate them to read. You print out the reading log and when finished turn it in for a free book. 

I found a few other ideas for the summer with Microsoft and Apple. They have offer free workshops and camps for kids. Apple has their Apple camp for ages 8 to 12. It is free and is at area Apple stores. They are 90 minute sessions and include coding and robotics, moviemaking or musical storytelling. To find out more click here. All campers must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian during the camp. Microsoft has a free camp at International Plaza. Most of their camps are for ages 8 and up and 13 and up. To find out more go to their website by clicking here and look for events for students. There you will find the different camps offered.

Younger kids can take part in the free Home Depot workshops for kids. The workshops are offered all year long, the first Saturday of the month from 9am to noon.  On June 1 the craft for the month is building a tabletop putting green. I know my kids loved going to Home Depot on Saturdays with their grandpa to make all sorts of wood items. Now they have outgrown it, but my sister and brother’s kids still go. It ’s a great place to learn basic skills of carpentry like how to use a hammer and how to paint. Kids get to build their item and either paint or put stickers on their craft. Kids receive a certificate and a workshop apron and commemorative pin all for free. 

I hope you are able to use at least one of these ideas. 

13-year-old turns birthday into a time of giving to others

Mackenzie Dunn holds money in her hand at her birthday party
as part her donation to Operation: Miltiary Matters. 

Thanksgiving, is a day to be thankful and a time for giving. I couldn't think of a more giving story than the one I am about to share.

A few weeks ago, my 12-year-old daughter Graci brought home a handmade invitation to her friend Mackenzie Dunn's 13th birthday party. I was amazed to see inside it said, "instead of gifts this year please bring donations for Operation: Military Matters" and she gave a list of suggested items to donate.  Operation: Military Matters, is my daughter Graci's nonprofit. She sends care packages to the military overseas. When I saw Mackenzie was asking for donations for it, I was very impressed. Most teens aren't thinking about giving to others these days, they are more interested in themselves one reason they are labeled the "me generation."

 Mackenzie's birthday was on Veterans Day this year, so that's why she wanted to do something for the military. In the past Graci has shared with her the impact the care packages make on our military.  

When I picked Graci up from the party, Mackenzie handed me a $200 check and three bagfuls of items to send in the care packages. This generosity and unselfish act really made an impact on me and I am sure others including the kids at the party and her family. To see a young teen give up all her presents is really unheard of. I mean she could have had a new phone, iPad, Apple watch, etc. She was such a cheerful giver too, she even told me the other day she received another twenty dollars and her mom was going to give it to me. She knows that will help pay for shipping for another care package. Mackenzie realizes even at her young age what she is doing is making the lives of our soldiers a little bit brighter with the care packages. She told me she wants to help pack the next round of care packages for the troops. Wow, not only is she donating money to a charity, but also her time!  

As I think about this wonderful story of our youth and how there are young kids doing good deeds in the world, it makes my heart so happy. We have to share these kinds of

stories. I know there are more stories like this. We need to report more good news instead of all the bad things kids are doing. My hope is when kids see others being recognized for doing good deeds, maybe they will do something good.

I believe, as parents we need to be the ones to set an example of giving. We need to give to others and teach our children this and tell them it feels great to give. Maybe we can all learn a little something from 13-year-old Mackenzie and her giving heart. As we approach the holidays over the next few months, think about giving to others.

Wishing everyone a happy and blessed Thanksgiving!

Words can be as sharp as a sword

You've heard the saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." As a kid when someone would say something mean I remember saying that to them to try and brush off what they had just said. Words may not physically give you a broken arm or leg, but they can do so much more damage to us mentally. I think the reason words today can be even more hurtful is because of the social media aspect that comes into play. Now not only are words spoken, but they are written and can never be erased, as digital footprints can last forever.

For the past year my daughter who is in middle school has been harassed by another girl in her class. The student likes to make fun of her. She talks about her looks and her smile and just about anything she can think of. The girl goes out of her way to be mean. My daughter told me about it at the end of last year and I kind of brushed it off. My daughter has good self confidence, so she knows it's not true and has continued to take it this year and would laugh it off. My daughter isn't one to be mean back and hates for kids to get in trouble, so she didn't want to say anything. After talking to a friend about the situation, I finally realized I needed to do something. I wasn't doing what was right for my daughter and there could be other students getting harassed by this child.

Even though physically my daughter wasn't being hurt, after awhile kids can only take so much. I talked to the school about the situation. My daughter is fine, and the other child was talked to, so I am hoping the situation is resolved.

What's interesting is in the past few days I have heard the message about how words can be like a sword, they do hurt and can cause damage mentally. This past month my pastor's sermon in church has been about how our tongue is one of the most powerful weapons. They can do good, but they can also do harm, and we need to be careful how we use our words. Also, in my daughter's health class they have been talking about bullying and how words hurt.

October is National Bullying Awareness month and as parents we need to talk to our kids and remind them just how much what they say can do for both good and bad and tell them to think before speaking mean things to others. If our child is being bullied they need to let us know and as parents, we should handle it right away. I know I learned a lesson and I am also am teaching my daughter to stick up for herself more. I should have done something sooner. I am fortunate the situation didn't get of control. Our kids can be nice but shouldn't be taken advantage of. If you want to learn more about more about prevention of bullying and how kids can identify bullying and stand up to it safely, go to www.stopbullying.gov.

Safe sitter program teaches safety and life saving skills teens should know

Instructors Kristi Dahl and Iris Merryweather with Graci and Randi Tubbs

My two girls Randi 14 and Graci 12 are at the age where they can stay home alone and  now babysit. My sister just had a baby boy and has a two year old little girl, but before they can start babysitting for her kids they thought it would be good to take a babysitting course.

We heard from a friend about John Hopkins All Children's Hospital and their one day Safe Sitter Essentials program at their Education & Conference Center 701 4th Street South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. It is offered several times a year from 9am to 4 pm for $55. The program is limited to 16 students, so you need to register early. The spots fill up fast. The class is offered to boys and girls from 11-14.

My girls recently took the class and loved it. They both told me they feel so much more confident about working with young kids after taking the class. As a parent, it eases my mind knowing they feel this way so when they are offered a babysitting job they will be able to handle it.

The two instructors Kristi Dahl and Iris Merryweather have been teaching the course for years together. At the end of the day parents were invited to a short ceremony to hear what the kids learned and to see them receive their certificates .

After the instructors went over what they learned  and hearing my girls tell me all about their day at the class, I was so happy my girls attended the program. It's something I wish I would have had as a teen. They learned how to change a diaper, feed a baby, not to warm a bottle in the microwave or it could burn a baby's esophagus, what to do with kids if they are having temper tantrums, how to do CPR on a child and infant and what to do if a child is choking. These are great skills everyone should know.

What's great about this course is they got hands on instruction and practiced on CPR manikins CPR and the choking rescue. What a great way to learn and feel confident so if you ever needed to perform CPR you would know how to do it. My girls know how important CPR is as a little over a year ago their grandpa had sudden cardiac arrest and the man who performed CPR helped save his life. That man had just learned CPR, so it can happen and you need to be prepared.

The instructors also had an infant simulator to show what happens to the brain of the baby when you shake a baby for just a few seconds. They also went over some reasons babies and children cry and what to do. And if you feel frustrated  or can't calm the baby to put the baby in the crib or playpen and to call the parents.

These skills are not only for kids who want to babysit, but they are life teaching skills and lifelong skills. The next class is September 29, 2018. To see a list of all the upcoming classes or to sign up your child for this class go to their website at HopkinsAllChildrens.org/safesitter or email at kdahl4@jhmi.edu.

Groceries delivered right to my door!!

I've been wanting to try it for awhile and I finally did it. I did my grocery shopping online and it was delivered right to my front door. It was actually kind of fun scrolling through the items online and picking out the food items I wanted.

I didn't plan to shop online that particular day, but I was clipping digital coupons on Publix.com and saw you could do your shopping online and have it delivered. I thought why not find out what it's all about. Since it takes time to physically go shopping and that day I was crunched for time, I thought why not try it out.

Of course my first question was, is it going to cost me more? I saw that there were some coupons out there to try it and I found a coupon for $10 off, so I figured it couldn't be too much more. At Publix the delivery fee depends on size of your order and delivery time. My delivery fee was $5.99 fee for shopping online at that time in my area. I did notice a service fee also at check out and you can waive that fee if you want. I also found not every area has online shopping with Publix, so you have to put in your zip code on their website to see if you qualify. I did, so I thought let's shop.

It was pretty easy to do. You see photos and prices for the products. And yes, you can also get the BOGO's (buy one get one.) You do need to put in a quantity of two if you get a BOGO. If you are a coupon shopper though, right now you can't use coupons with delivery. I wasn't too concerned because the items I was buying, I didn't have coupons for. I do use coupons, so I will still have to do my coupon shopping in the store.

I was able to select all my items and get my $10 discount. What I liked is you can choose a window of time,  you want your personal shopper to bring your groceries to your home.  I believe the fast you can get it is within two hours. I found you do need to put in a phone number for your personal shopper to contact you. Once they start shopping you receive a text. When my personal shopper couldn't find an item, he would text me asking if I wanted a replacement item or a refund on the item. I didn't realize they would text you during their shopping, so I was glad I heard the text.

It was great you knowing what he was able to get and what he couldn't get. I forgot to put on the list bananas was bummed because I thought I would still need to go to the store to get the bananas, but guess what? I text him to if he could get me four bananas regular and he got them for me. I was super excited.

When he was finished shopping, I received a text telling me when to expect my groceries to arrive. He was right on time. He had all the groceries and brought them to my door. I bought alcohol, which I thought was interesting that you could do with online delivery, but I guess you can in a few states and Florida is one of the states. He did ask for my driver's license for it, which was good.

You can add a tip when you sign your receipt if you want or give cash. I asked him how he gets paid because I was curious. He said he had been a personal shopper for about two weeks and he gets .48 cents an item, mileage and tips.

While I was shopping online, I did notice some of the items are a few cents higher. Not much higher, but the site does say some of the items are higher.

Overall, it was a good experience. I have researched this online shopping more and found there are other grocery chains and stores in Pinellas County that do this too. You can get groceries from Safeway, Amazon Prime, Walmart, Sam's Club and Costco. Each one has their own delivery fee. You can also order online and pick the items up at the store and most are free to do this.

I think it's a great option to have in case you get sick and can't make it to the store or maybe your crunched on time. I also think if you have your basic list for each week, it gets easier to shop because you don't remake the list each week. I also tried by ingredients for a recipe, which I thought was good because it would help stick to meals instead of impulse buying. There are coupons out there and deals for first time customers at most of the stores, so look for a coupon online. 

Former teacher, and her student, has passion for telling stories

I would never have imagined that my fourth grade teacher at Seminole Elementary School would be a good friend of mine in my adult years or would I think I would be writing an article about her.  The teacher I’m talking about is Sue Kotchman, for those of you who had her at Seminole Elementary you may remember her from her maiden name Cusmano. She was my favorite teacher as I was growing up, and one that influenced me in my life. 


Fourth grade class of Sue Kotchman, then Sue Cusmano, during 1979-1980.
 I am in the second row from the back, fourth from the left.

I remember being in her class and always being motivated to do the best I could. I did well in school, and she would challenge me to do even better.  At that point in my life, I actually wanted to be a teacher because I loved her class and going to school.  She made learning fun.

I am probably just one of many that she has made a difference in their lives.  Now that I am a mom, I understand how important teachers are in our children’s lives.

Kotchman was in the Pinellas County School system for more than 32 years. I think my class was one of her first classes she taught.  She was a teacher, curriculum specialist and principal focusing on elementary education.

 About 4 years ago, she suffered a brain aneurysm and almost didn’t make it. She will tell you she’s a walking miracle.  After her health issues, she decided it was time to retire from Madeira Beach Elementary School as their principal.  After retiring, she started writing children’s books.  She published one last year and just recently published another in a series of books.  The books are called “With Love, from Grandma” and “With Love, from Grandpa.” Kotchman told me she always wanted to write books, a dream she has had since teaching.  She writes for fun, and her books help kids learn lessons about life.  Her “With Love” series books deal with the importance of relationships, spending time together and realistic situations. Her first book deals with the relationship of a little girl and her grandma and how she copes when her grandma dies.  How many kids have someone or something die in their life? We all do. It’s the cycle of life.  Kotchman uses her two kid’s names as the main characters in her books.  Her daughter Christal is in the “With Love, from Grandma.” And her son Casey is in the “With Love, from Grandma”.  After she wrote her first book with her daughter in it, when she would read in to students at schools, they would always say you need a book about your son.  You see her son was the first baseman of the Tampa Bay Rays, and kids knew he was her son. Kotchman says the books are realist fiction.  They have some things in them that are true, but the story may not be totally true.  Her latest book has a lot of Florida beach scenery, which helps students relate to the story.

Kotchman goes a step further than just writing the book, she visits classrooms around Pinellas County and reads her books to students.  She says her books are designed to help students with their writing skills. She says very often kids don’t know what to write about and they need to draw from an experience.  Her book “With Love, From Grandpa” does this. The main character has a writing assignment from school and doesn’t know what to write about until he finishes his day of fishing with his grandpa.

Kotchman’s motto is everyone has a story.  She wants to help students develop their writing skills by finding stories in their lives to write about. I guess she’s been instilling this for years.  Now her story is my story for you today.  I’m so thankful for teachers like Sue Kotchman, who make a positive difference in young children’s lives and help promote literacy.

***If you would like Sue Kotchman to read to your students at your school, you can email her at SueKotch11@gmail.com

The celebrities of today's youth are the stars of social media sites

My daughter, Randi, at one of the meet and greets with YouTuber
Weston Koury at Playlist Live Orlando.

(This blog post and article previously ran on May 17, 2017. Playlist Live will be coming up March 1-3 2019, so I thought I would re-run it. I wil be at the event with my two girls, so follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/mom2momwithKadi and Twitter @Kadinewsgal for live updates.)

Recently I learned how the kids of today, including my own two girls Randi, 12, and Graci, 11, and their friends, are finding entertainment through social media. When I was a kid, one of my favorite shows was the Monkees, a musical acting quartet. I watched it almost every day on television and just loved Davy Jones. I always dreamed of meeting Davy Jones and the rest of the Monkees, but that dream never became a reality.

Today, our kids are viewing their favorite stars through social media sites like YouTube, Musically, Twitter and Instagram.  I am not saying kids don't watch television anymore, but if you ask the youth of today who some of their favorite celebrities are, you may be surprised they are from social media. This is a whole new world to me and maybe to some of you, who are reading this article.

My daughter Randi  has been asking me for the past two years to go to a social media convention called Playlist Live. It's an annual three day conference  held twice a year for primarily YouTube content creators and their fans. It is held in Orlando and Washington D.C.  I had no idea what it was and at first said no. After finding out a little bit more about it from a friend who was taking her daughter, I decided to take Randi so I could share my experience with other parents.

Playlist Live Orlando, kids wait for hours
to see some of their favorite social media
creators.

I wanted to get the history of this event, so  I reached out to the co-founder and president of Playlist Live, Alex Tchekmeian. He told me Playlist Live has been going on for the past 10 years and for 7 years in Orlando. Every year it has sold out. The average demographic is ages 13-25 and about 80 percent are female. Since 2011, they have grown 2000 percent with 13,000 attendees this year and 500- plus creators. The event includes meet-and-greets along with stage performances and workshops. "You'll find people from all walks of life attending, from young fans to aspiring-up-and comers to established top-tier creators and industry pros," said Tchekmeian.

These statistics are amazing and as a parent, we need to be aware of what this means and how social media is growing.

These social media creators are celebrities especially to the attendees who paid at least $150 to come get a glimpse of their favorite YouTubers or Musical.ly stars. Some attendees were able to get up close and personal taking photos and talking at meet and greets arranged throughout the weekend. I saw kids who were so excited to see those they follow and like on social media. Some crying tears of joy and others screaming when their favorite YouTuber walked by.

Melissa Williams with granddaughter
Bailey from Lake City, FL
 and Kylie Fender attend
 one of the meet and greets.

I talked to several parents at the event about their experience.  Those with their kids had to pay $125 to follow their child around. As a parent, they felt it necessary to be near their kid and they could take the photos of their child with the social media stars. One parent I talked to, Maureen Sullivan,  traveled from Long Island, New York with her 15-year-old daughter Jillian Sullivan and her daughter's friend Kaitlin Cavanaugh. 

Jillian Sullivan and her friend
Kaitlin Cavanaugh travel from Long
Island, New York with
Jillian's mom Maureen to see
their favorite YouTubers.

She bought the tickets, airfare and the hotel for her daughter as a present for her upcoming 16th birthday. Sullivan said she thought the event was well run. Even though security was everywhere and she gave her daughter some freedom to roam, she still felt the need to be with her at the event.  "I was impressed. The whole message and agenda is positive for all ages. No bullying, no drugs.  Very clean entertainment, " she said.

Lily LaBrant, Tate LaBrant, Everleigh
Soutas, Ken LaBrant, Cole LaBrant and
Savannah Soutas all social media stars
who attended Playlist Live.

While there we ran into Seminole native Ken LaBrant, who has his whole family involved in creating videos. His son Cole LaBrant, 20, started a few years ago on the social media site Vine and acquired quite the following with more than six million followers. Now he's on other social media sites along with his fiancé Savannah Soutas and her 4-year-old daughter Everleigh. 

Everleigh Soutas entertaining at
Playlist Live.

Together they do a variety of videos. Ken LaBrant told me it's not unusual for these social media kids to make a couple hundred grand  a month. "Want to go into acting. It doesn't pay unless you are an A-lister. This is very lucrative," said LaBrant. LaBrant's family just did a promotional video for Disney. His son Cole has companies all the time asking him to endorse products ranging from Coca Cola to Hewlett Packard just to name a few.

Cole LaBrant signs autographs at
Playlist Live.

Hunter Rowland takes a photo with
his fans!

My daughter, Randi loved it and her dreams came true after meeting some of her favorite social media celebrities like Weston Koury, Hunter Rowland, Cole LaBrant and the Daily Bumps.  She said she likes watching videos rather than television because "There's always something original on YouTube and you can always find something you like." She said was excited to meet and talk to the people she watches daily.

Randi with social media
creators of Daily Bumps,
Missy, Bryan, Oliver
and Finley.

What is fascinating to me is most of these YouTubers were so friendly and willing to take photos and give out autographs giving kids like my daughter and her friends, which is an experience most would never dream of, but times have changed and we are in the age of social media. 

Know what your kids are being taught and have discussions

Today's world is so different than when I went to school. I think the biggest differences are the internet and social media. Our youth today have so much technology and in an instant they can Google something, send a text or take a photo of something or someone and sometimes not realize the consequences of their actions.

My daughter, Randi is in eighth grade and one of the classes she has to take for eight grade is health. Students in Pinellas County School's have to take health for a semester in sixth grade and in eighth grade. Most kids take health at school, but my daughter is taking it online through Pinellas County Virtual School. One of the topics recently was suicide. I have such mixed emotions about teaching suicide, even though I know suicide prevention needs to be taught. Sometimes I think it can also have the opposite affect and put ideas in kids heads.

Because Randi takes the class online she doesn't have people in a classroom setting or the teacher really to have discussions about what she sees and hears. Luckily she talks to me about her online classes. Recently she was crying after watching a video her teacher had assigned. It was a real life suicide video created by a girl who took her life after being bullied. Her name was Amanda Todd. The video wasn't the actual suicide, but it was a video the seventh grader had done with flash cards and words about her life and about the one mistake she regretted doing on social media with friends and how she was then was bullied. It was about why she didn't want to live anymore. At the end of the video it showed her wrists with cuts. It was very sad and a little much for an eighth grader to watch alone. The end of the video shows the words "I have no body. I need someone." Randi told me, "Mom, I wish I could have been her friend. I would have been her friend." It just breaks my heart for this young middle school girl who felt she had no one. I can't even imagine what her family is going through.  

I was glad Randi told me about the video and how she was feeling after seeing it. We talked about it and I told her how no matter what happens in life, nothing is worth killing yourself over. It also gave me a chance to discuss social media and let her know that we need to be careful about what we put online. The girl in the video made a mistake by taking photos of herself without clothes on and it was out on the internet. Kids need to know what they post is out there and a lot of times can't be erased.

I know the class gets into how to try and prevent suicide and what to say to a friend who may be thinking about it, so I do think kids need to know this. They also need to know tomorrow is another day and it will get better.

I really try to stay on top of Randi's online classes, but sometimes it's hard to know everything that's going on in the classes. Parents if your kids are taking online classes know what they are studying and viewing. I don't think we can ever be too careful about what our kids are being taught. Discuss with your kids their classes and what they are learning. I know sometimes what my kids are being taught in school doesn't always agree with my way of thinking. It's a way for you to have discussions about topics and to listen to your kids and also for you to give your kids advice on situations.

Just remember to instill in your kids your values and let them know how much you love them every day. They need to hear it. Today's world is tough for young kids and if they don't get it from you they will get it from somewhere else. As a parent, it is our responsibility to help our kids and be there for them.

The benefits of music at a young age

Graci playing guitar at age 5 with a family friend
and recording artist Jeremy Rizer

Randi at her piano lesson.

Music is something we love in our house. My oldest daughter Randi, who is 13 years old, has been playing piano for the past four years and my youngest daughter Graci, who just turned 12 years old, has taken guitar lessons in the past and recently started voice lessons.

I sit in on the lessons and listen and it is truly amazing to see how professor Donovick works with Randi. She can read music, but also plays by ear.

I am amazed when they start playing songs at how fast she picks it up.We are so blessed to have instructors who are truly gifted in what they teach. Randi’s piano teacher is Jeff Donovick, a music professor at St. Petersburg College. Randi has been taking lessons for a little over a year and he is a phenomenal teacher and knows exactly what teaching method works best for Randi. I took piano when I was younger and stayed with it for a few years and never really excelled at it; Randi, on the other hand, is blessed with a musical talent and a teacher who is bringing that talent out.  

I know studies have shown starting kids in musical training when they are young not only benefits them musically, but it also helps develop their cognitive skills and do better at school in subjects such as math. I was reading on the website of the National Association of Music Merchants about a study done by the College Entrance Examination Board that found students involved in public school music programs scored 107 points higher on the SATs than students with no participation.

My girls haven’t taken the SATs yet, but I can tell you they do well in school.

Playing an instrument also helps with confidence building. I can see that in both of my daughters. Randi’s teacher has given her not only confidence in playing the piano, but in singing. He heard her sing while playing and she has a beautiful voice and now she sings while playing some of her songs.

Graci singing a few years ago
with her guitar teacher
Charlie Coffman.

Graci did take guitar a few years ago, but decided she like singing more. Taking guitar was good, because she learned how to read music and her teacher had her do a few recitals playing in front of crowds, which helped build her confidence and not be afraid to get up in front of people. Since she started out when she was young, she wasn’t as nervous as an older person getting up in front of people. 

Graci singing the National
Anthem at the 
Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast

A few months ago, she started voice lessons with a wonderful teacher, Lee Tong. Tong is a professional opera singer and soloist in her church. After just a few months of lessons, Graci’s voice has really developed and sounds beautiful. Tong is a great teacher for Graci because she knows how to bring the best out of her and Graci enjoys practicing something that sometimes can be hard to get kids to do. Not only has her confidence in singing increased, but she’s reading music more and singing has helped her with her poise when speaking in front of large crowds.

Both my kids take private lessons because their schools haven’t had piano or voice, but I do know there are schools that offer these classes. Most middle schools and high schools offer band and chorus to students. If your child has the chance to play an instrument, I encourage them to do so. Even elementary school sometimes offer students lessons on playing the recorder. The benefits of learning at a young age is such a wonderful gift and will last throughout their life.

All Aboard: Making Memories on a Train

(re-post first published in 2016)

It's not too often you get to take your kids on a train ride in Florida.

For past few years, I have heard from friends about the wonderful holiday-themed North Pole Express train rides offered at the Florida Railroad Museum in Parrish, Florida, but it sells out very fast. This year was no exception, but when looking at the Polar Express, I saw they also offered another excursion called the old fashioned Hobo Campfire Cookout. 

It was very similar to the North Pole Express including the 6.5 mile train ride to a location they call Willow Yard, but this excursion included campfires along with a dinner of  hot dogs, marshmallows, lemonade. They even had a folk band!  

I was able to purchase tickets online, so we went the end of January. If you are wondering where Parrish is, it's about 35 miles south of Tampa. It's really not too far of a drive.

When we got to the museum, the locomotives were ready to go. That afternoon was one of the colder days of winter especially for us Floridians, but good weather for a campfire. 

My girls ages 10 and 11, loved it because we had our choice of railroad cars we could ride in. Some were open air while others were closed with heat. We chose the train with heat. My parents, who also went with us and loved it because it brought back memories of riding the train when they were younger.

Relationships are important for the young and old

Kadi Tubbs with the women of St. Jerome's Catholic Church

Recently, I was asked to speak to a group of women to give them encouraging words and to talk about intergenerational relationships. Interesting topic, right? What I love is that word relationships. We were designed to have relationships. I believe it’s important to have relationships in life. Without relationships who do you share your passion, joy, sorrow, pain and hope with?

Intergenerational relationships can be beneficial for both the younger person and the older person. I saw a news story recently with reporter Steve Hartman about an 82-year-old man and a 4-year-old little girl who had developed a friendship after she asked the 82- year-old stranger for a hug while shopping with her mom in Publix. It was her birthday and she wanted people to know it and she asked the man for a hug. That hug from a stranger changed both their lives. He had just lost his wife and was in deep depression ready to give up on life, but this little girl changed that. They developed a friendship which gave him hope and her a new friend. It’s stories like this that can really have an impact on people.

Kadi Tubbs speaking to a group of women
at St. Jerome's Catholic Church in Largo

I remember as a young child how we would go play Yahtzee at an older neighbor’s home. She was a widow and my friends and I didn’t think much of it at the time, but we just loved going to her house and playing games. She loved having us.

I also remember the relationship I had with my great-grandma. She was the only grandma I had living nearby us and we would visit her frequently. She was the best cook. She would always be in her kitchen cooking something. She would talk to us about coming over from Portugal and tell us how lucky we were to go to school because she had only gone to sixth grade in her country. She would speak Portuguese to us, but we never really picked it up. One time she babysat me and my brother and sisters and put my hair in rags to curl it. Back in the old days they didn’t have curlers she would tell me and they would cut rags and curl the girl’s hair that way. It was the only way my hair ever curled because it was so straight. Today, I sometimes put my two girl’s hair in rags to curl it. It was a tradition I am passing on to my kids from their great-great grandma. My grandma learned a lot from us too. We would draw pictures, dance and sing for her. She couldn’t wait for the family to come and see her.

I think every person has something to offer another person, especially when it comes to intergenerational relationships. Just think about the young kids of today and the technology they use daily. The older population not using technology as much, and if they are maybe not knowing how to use it fully. An example of this that comes to mind is a soldier we have been sending care packages to through my daughter Graci’s nonprofit Operation: Military Matters. His grandma gave us his address and when we told him that’s how we got his address, he said he wanted to get in touch with her, but she didn’t have Facebook and her phone didn’t have texting set up on it. He is in the Middle East and his grandma lives locally. Graci and I met with his grandma and of course the 11-year-old knew exactly how to fix his grandma’s phone so she could receive texts from her grandson. Now they can communicate from around the world.

Think about your life and the relationships you have had over the years with friends, relatives and even strangers. Our lives are hopefully full of ways we have made positive impacts on others through experiences we have gone through that we can help others maybe younger or older than us. Intergenerational relationships are ways to use your life experiences to help others. Next time your child, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, grandchild or neighbor needs help with something or asks you to do something make time to build that relationship. It’s worth it!

Back to school on a budget

Graci and Randi getting back to school supplies.

I can’t believe it’s almost time for the kids to go back to school. As you get your kids ready, you need to make sure your kids have their current physicals, school supplies, and clothes for school. I found a few places that you can go to help you out, so you don’t spend a fortune.

And, don’t forget the tax-free weekend in Florida this year is August 4-6. This is a perfect time for parents to save money on school supplies, clothing, shoes, and other back to school shopping items. You can find all the items tax free at www.floridarevenue.com/backtoschool

Mother and couponer Barbi Pierson, likes to look at the ads before going to the store to get the most for her money when shopping for back-to-school supplies. “Couponers get excited for back to school deals," she said. "You want to make sure to get your Sunday newspaper to see the ads and get coupons. If you miss getting the Sunday paper on Sunday, most Dollar Tree stores sell the Sunday paper all week. The best deals are combining and stacking store coupons with manufacturers and topping it with a competitor total off purchase.” 

Pierson added, “Remember to shop the BOGO (buy one get one) free items at Publix. You can even use coupons from competitors at some stores.”

Several stores like Target, that have their own apps for coupons. Target has the app called “Cartwheel” and you can use the coupons they give you and other coupons from the newspaper and printable coupons together for more savings.

Another way to save money is by shopping on the internet. Sites like Ebates give you money back when you shop. All you do is log into their site www.ebates.com and shop at your favorite store. They have more than 2,000 stores you can shop at. Right now they are offering a $10 bonus gift card to Walmart or Ebates just for signing up. It will send you a check in the mail every quarter as part of the commission they receive for having you shop on their site. You can comparison shop with newspaper ads and online. 

A great place to go to find the best deals at hundreds of stores online according to Pierson is the site Slickdeals at www.slickdeals.net, where you can find coupons for stores.   

Back to school items at Walmart.

You can also price match at some stores like Walmart, Staples, Target, Office Depot/Office Max. If you find a lower price you can get that price and at Staples if you find a lower price they will match it and lower the price by 10 percent.

Hopefully some of these tips will help you get your child ready for school. Finding deals and saving money doesn’t have to be hard, it can be easy if you know what to look for and how to shop. 

Here’s to starting off the school year right!

Simple ways for you to help raise money for your child’s school

Did you know there are several ways you can raise money for your child’s school just by just shopping and it doesn’t cost you anything? It’s true, as you head to the stores to do back to school shopping here are a few simple ways parents can help schools earn extra income. Some of the ideas are things you may already have at home and could be throwing away, not knowing it’s worth actual money.

Have you seen those small little labels on some of your boxes of food? They are called Box Tops. Since 1996, America schools have earned more than $800 million dollars from Box Tops for Education by collecting those labels. My daughter’s elementary school earned $1,600 cash last year and more than $29,000 over the years.  Schools can receive 10 cents for every box top collected. Start looking at you food boxes more closely and start clipping the box tops. If you don’t save the box tops, it’s like throwing 10 cents out the window.

If you have a printer at your house or your office, start saving the empty ink cartridges. Did you know that every “used” ink cartridge is worth at least $2? You can recycle up to 10 ink cartridges each month. Not only are you raising money for your child’s school, but you are also recycling. You can recycle the ink cartridges locally at any Staples or Office Depot Office Max. There’s also another great way to make your school money by using Funding Factory. This is a way for your school to collect recyclable empty printer cartridges for money. You can register at www.FundingFactory.com. Since 1997, organizations have raised more than $35 million in cash and rewards.

Office Depot Office Max also offers a program called Give Back to Schools, where 5% of your qualifying purchases can go back in free school supplies to the school of your choice. It’s very easy, all you need to do is sign up.

Do you shop on Amazon? If you do, start shopping on www.smileamazon.com, it’s the same as shopping at Amazon, but a percentage of what you spend can go to your child’s school. It’s not a huge amount it’s actually 0.5 percent, but it can add up. More than $54 million has been given to charities over the years. If your school is not registered, let them know so they can register. This is an easy way to raise money.

How many of you use the computer to look up things? I know I do. I discovered by using www.GoodSearch.com as your search engine, you can raise money for your school. It’s simple and easy to do. Every search you do, GoodSearch.com will donate a percentage of your purchases to your school.

It’s great to see businesses willing to help our schools, but we as parents need to make sure we are doing our part by participating. It only takes a minute to clip a box top, cut a label or charge our search engine on our computer. If each family helps we can make a difference in our children’s education.