Have you ever wondered what the birds outside of your window are up to? Written by Andrew McDonald and illustrated by Ben Wood, Real Pigeons Fight Crime reveals that they might just be keeping you safe. Nickelodeon has teamed up with James Corden and Ben Winston, and their production company Fulwell 73, to produce an animated movie and TV series based on the book.
The movie and TV series are being developed to air on all Nickelodeon platforms.
Winston said, “We are so delighted to be working with our great friends at Nickelodeon on this wonderful, charming and funny book, and can’t wait to help bring it to life for kids everywhere!”
Ramsey Naito, Executive Vice President, Nickelodeon Animation Production and Development, said “Real Pigeons Fight Crime is about a secret squad of crime-fighting pigeons, with high stakes and true hilarity making it a perfect fit for our audience. By fusing the humor and expertise of the incredible team at Fulwell 73 Productions, we are ready to show kids what pigeons really do–fight crime, solve mysteries, take down bad guys, and keep neighborhoods safe!”
Fans of Netflix’s popular dark comedy, Dead to Me will be thrilled to know all of the questions you had after the season finale will be answered. Variety reported that the show will return for a third and final season. The renewal was announced in conjunction with series creator Liz Feldman’s new production deal with the streaming service.
“From start to finish, Dead To Me is exactly the show I wanted to make. And it’s been an incredible gift,” Feldman said. “Telling a story sprung from grief and loss has stretched me as an artist and healed me as a human. I’ll be forever indebted to my partners in crime, my friends for life, Christina and Linda, and our brilliantly talented writers, cast and crew. I am beyond grateful to Netflix for supporting Dead To Me from day one, and I’m thrilled to continue our collaboration.”
Dead to Me stars Christina Applegate, Linda Cardellini and James Marsden. The show follows Jen (Applegate) and Judy (Cardellini) and the lies that entwine them.
Parents and kids are tapping into their creative sides looking for fun ways to pass the time. Now kids can take their own idea for a toy or game and turn it into a concept that could end up being sold at major retailers like Target. The CHITAG Young Inventor Challenge happens annually each year as part of Chicago Toy & Game Week, but, the group has partnered with major industry players like Mattel, Magformers, Scholastic and the American Specialty Retailer Association (ASTRA) to launch a special spring edition, specifically to help inspire kids stuck at home due to COVID-19.
The CHITAG Spring Young Inventor Challenge is open to kids ages 6-18 as of Apr.15, 2020. To enter, kids need to create an original prototype toy or game and show the judges how to play with it using photos and sending in a pitch video. The deadline for entry is Jun. 15 and winners will be announced Jul. 1.
This is the 14th year for the Young Inventor Challenge, in which heavy hitters from top toy companies mentor each entrant. There’s even a Young Inventor Design Guide which walks parents and kids through the creative design process.
During the judging phase, toy companies have the option to work with inventors to bring their games to market.
Quite a journey this has been so far, don’t you think?! Hopefully the strategies that follow will make the journey more manageable than it has been up to now. They stem from the experiences of a parent who, like his child, is on the autism spectrum but did not learn this about himself until after he became a father.
Not all of these strategies will be relevant to every parenting scenario. The autism spectrum represents a wide variety of personality profiles and challenge—there is no “one size fits all” set of tips.
1. Do everything you can to position your child for strong self-esteem. There is no more noble a pursuit than this when it comes to parenting in general.
A few things to consider:
Encourage your child to accept, or better yet, embrace, who he is regardless of the types of challenges and adversity he confronts.
Adopt realistic expectations, recognizing that it is counterproductive to discipline your child for behaviors he cannot control.
Steer him towards activities which you think he will enjoy and at which you believe he may become proficient.
Listen to him and respond positively to what he says whenever a positive response is warranted. When he asks you a question, answer him, regardless of whether you think the question is worthy of an answer.
Keep in mind that when you yell or scream at your child, he will most likely beat up on himself.
2. Look at small steps forward as if they are monumental achievements. For many on the spectrum, personal development occurs in small steps over longer than expected periods of time. If you treat these small steps forward as being as significant as they truly are to your autistic child’s growth (in other words, by passionately praising them), they will contribute more to her growth than they otherwise would. Such praise is not likely to be effective when given long after the fact. Immediacy is critically important in this case so that your child can easily associate the praise with the act that is being praised. If and when a praiseworthy behavior becomes habitual, it need not be praised as often as it was before it became commonplace. Too much praise is likely to render it less beneficial.
Simple behaviors that are not yet habitual, which your spectrum child performs without being prompted and which show self-awareness or awareness of others are examples of small steps forward which should elicit high praise. For example, saying “please” and “thank you” when it is warranted, offering to help out with a task, saying “bless you” when somebody sneezes, properly performing an act of self-care, etc. Increments of progress towards a long-term goal, whatever that goal may be, are worthy of high praise as opposed to only giving praise once the goal has been fully attained.
3. Beware of “the bachelor state of mind”: The bachelor(ette) state of mind can be thought of as a gravitational force that tries to lure you into thinking only about your own interests, even when doing so is at the expense of your child’s best interests. Not a crime when you were younger and only responsible for yourself, and yet it has a way of hanging around once your life can no longer be all about you.
For example, when you lie down on the couch to relax and then you don’t move when your child asks you to play with him, you succumb to the bachelor state of mind, particularly if opportunities to play with him are relatively few and far between. When you manage to drag yourself off the couch to play with your son in spite of how tired you are, you have triumphed over the bachelor state of mind. Your effort goes a long way toward enhancing your relationship with your child.
4. Try to see the world through your child’s eyes. If you are nonautistic and your child is autistic, it is highly likely that the two of you will not end up on the same page with respect to how the information the immediate environment transmits is processed and therefore how each of you responds to what goes on around you. Consequently, at least some of your child’s behaviors probably do not make any sense to you. Nonetheless, work on putting yourself in her shoes and parenting according to her reality. A difficult task to say the least, but an important one.
Nobody wins when you repeatedly try, to no avail, to get her to behave in ways that are consistent with your own experience and which you consider to be “normal”. Refrain from criticizing what in your view are awkward, aberrant behaviors and resist the temptation to redirect her away from these behaviors. Instead, create a safe, accepting environment for her in which she can behave as she does and receive love and validation rather than be judged or scolded. Allow her to be herself to the extent that she is not harming herself or others in the process. She is beautiful just the way she is!
5. Seek help if you know deep down that you could use it. Doing so is not a sign of weakness. In fact, it shows that you have the courage and the strength to pursue change for the better. Help for folks on the spectrum and their parents is available from caring, intelligent professionals including clinicians, relevant school personnel, local autism resource centers (ARC’s), and numerous organizations.
Here are a few organizations that exist to assist the autism spectrum community in achieving better outcomes: The Asperger/Autism Network is one such organization that hosts support groups and provides a variety of services aimed at helping those on the spectrum live more meaningful, connected lives. Social Thinking® is a methodology that helps autistic kids develop social competencies. The College Internship Program helps young adults on the spectrum prepare for and succeed in college, gain meaningful employment and acquire independent living skills.
SAM FARMER wears many hats, among them father, husband, musician, computer consultant, autism spectrum community contributor, and author of the new book, A Long Walk Down a Winding Road: Small Steps, Challenges, & Triumphs Through an Autistic Lens, which is now available on Amazon.
Mother’s Day is a great day to start a tradition of reading books together as a family. Positive experiences and warm memories of hearing stories from a loved one can inspire a lifelong love of reading. When parents read aloud to their children, it reinforces the habit of reading as children create a positive connection with literature.
Reading to even the youngest of children builds the relationship, as well as gives them a boost with vocabulary and language skills. Even if your children are older, you can build strong connections by chatting with them about the books they like to read, providing book recommendations, or taking them up on their book recommendations to you.
Here are our top picks of books for this Mother’s Day, so choose a book, gather your family and cozy up on the couch together for a great read!
Preschool and Kindergarten
Peppa Pig: My Mommy by Scholastic: A board book featuring Peppa—a lovable, slightly bossy little piggy! Celebrate mothers everywhere with this adorable board book brought to you by Peppa and her little brother, George. This delightful story shows the many reasons why Peppa and George love Mommy Pig, from comforting cuddles to sharing splashes in muddy puddles.
Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino, Illustrated by Steven Kellogg: Fun rhymes tell the story of a little llama who asks each animal he sees, “Is your mama a llama?” The obvious rhyming answer is hidden on the very next page, giving every budding story hour aficionado a chance to be triumphantly right. Cheery illustrations of the animals complete an especially good book to read together.
First and Second Grade
What Moms Can’t do by Douglas Wood, Illustrated by Doug Cushman: This delightful story is told from the perspective of a child who says that mommy can’t do a lot of things, but the pictures tell a different tale: moms can’t bake, but the child has helped and made a horrific mess. Moms can’t go shopping by themselves, but the illustrations show the child putting things in the cart that the mom takes out again. The book ends by reminding us all of what moms do best.
Mommy’s Khimar by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, Illustrated by Ebony Glenn: A young girl plays dress-up with her mother’s headscarves, feeling her mother’s love with every one she tries on. Charming and vibrant illustrations showcase the beauty of the diverse and welcoming community in this portrait of a young Muslim American girl’s life. The pictures and story embrace the tradition of wearing a headscarf, showing that it is normal, beautiful, and part of her family and her mother’s tradition.
Third and Fourth Grades
Ramona and her Mother by Beverly Cleary: This warm-hearted story of a mother’s love for her spirited young daughter is told beautifully by Newbery Medal-winning author Beverly Cleary. Ramona wonders if growing up is all it’s cracked up to be. No matter what, she’ll always be her mother’s little girl…right? This book is part of the Ramona Quimby book series.
The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity (Brixton Brothers, Book 1) by Mac Barnett, Illustrated by Adam Rex: National treasures, criminal masterminds, and… secret agent librarians? Steve Brixton wants to be a crime-busting detective—just like his favorite crime-busting detectives, the Bailey Brothers. Turns out, though, that real life is nothing like the stories. When Steve borrows the wrong book from the library, he finds himself involved in a treasonous plot that pits him against helicopter-rappelling librarians, has him outwitting a gaggle of police, and sees him standing off against the mysterious Mr. E. All his Bailey Brothers know-how isn’t helping at all! Worst of all, his social studies report is due Monday, and Ms. Gilfeather will not give him an extension! A fun book to read together a chapter at a time. There are four books in this series.
5th Grade and Middle School
Chirp by Kate Messner: When Mia moves to Vermont the summer after seventh grade, she’s recovering from the broken arm she got falling off a balance beam. And packed away in the moving boxes under her clothes and gymnastics trophies is a secret she’d rather forget. Mia’s change in scenery brings day camp, new friends, and time with her beloved grandmother. But Gram is convinced someone is trying to destroy her cricket farm. Is it sabotage or is Gram’s thinking impaired from the stroke she suffered months ago? Mia and her friends set out to investigate, but can they uncover the truth in time to save Gram’s farm? And will that discovery empower Mia to confront the secret she’s been hiding—and find the courage she never knew she had? In a compelling story rich with friendship, science, and summer fun, a girl finds her voice while navigating the joys and challenges of growing up.
More to the Story by Hena Khan: This heartfelt, contemporary story about four Muslim American sisters in Georgia was inspired by Little Women and is a really fun read for fans of that classic book. Following the antics of a close-knit American Muslim family, readers will learn about culture, customs, and holidays. This tale has just the right balance of humor, heart, and integrity. If you’re looking for a lovely, family-centered mother/daughter read, you will be pleased with this one!
Keira Pride is the Head Librarian at Stratford School, the leading independent private school founded with a vision of creating a unique, multi-dimensional, educational foundation for children. As Stratford's Head Librarian, she manages the library services department across campuses throughout Northern and Southern California.
Carmen Sandiego has a new mission, and she needs your help! Netflix is adding a Carmen Sandiego special to its lineup of viewer-controlled episodes. In the 45-minute special, Carmen Sandiego: To Steal or Not to Steal, kids get to decide what happens as Carmen (Gina Rodriguez) finds herself forced to steal for the instructors at her former crime school, V.I.L.E.
Carmen’s friends, Ivy and Zach, have been captured and if she wants to rescue them, she has to follow V.I.L.E.’s commands.
Carmen Sandiego: To Steal or Not to Steal hits Netflix on March 10.
LEGO is known for helping to bring children’s ideas to life. Now the popular brand has delved into the minds of some of their biggest fans to create a video from a child’s point of view. LEGO’s newest ad is a blockbuster movie trailer made up entirely of ideas thought up by kids while playing with a LEGO City Police set.
There’s been a bank robbery in LEGO City, and the thief is armed with a titanium fish, too bad the hero is allergic. There’s action, helicopters and a musical number.
So what city tops the list of safest places to live with kids? According to SafeWise’s stats, Carmel, Indiana is number one. This suburb of Indianapolis has a low violent crime rate of 0.18 per 1,000, a sex offender rate of 1.3 per 1,0000 and a graduation rate of over 97 percent.
The second spot in SafeWise’s list goes to the Boston ‘burb of Newton, Massachusetts, with Johns Creek, Georgia, Fishers, Indiana and Flower Mound, Texas rounding out the top five.
Here are the top 25:
Carmel, Indiana
Newton, Massachusetts
Johns Creek, Georgia
Fishers, Indiana
Flower Mound, Texas
Plymouth, Minnesota
San Ramon, California
Hoover, Alabama
Naperville, Illinois
Irvine, California
Mission Viejo, California
Gilbert, Arizona
Lake Forest, California
Frisco, Texas
Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Allen, Texas
Thousand Oaks, California
League City, Texas
Troy, Michigan
Murrieta, California
Sugar Land, Texas
Farmington Hills, Michigan
Woodbridge, New Jersey
Folsom, California
Santa Clarita, California
When it comes to safe states, California boasts 14 of the safest cities, Texas has seven and Georgia, New Jersey and Arizona all have three! To see if your city made the list, visit SafeWise’s site here to see the complete list of 50.
Spoiled. Bratty. Entitled. Introvert. Know-it-all. Lonely. I’m sure you can think of many more traits attributed to an only child like me and many of these traits are kind of negative. So, as an only child who grew up in the late 80s early 90s, I’m here to tell you, I’m perfectly fine and did not “suffer” from being an only child. In fact, I never recall wishing for a sibling at all.
I loved being part of the Three Musketeers—my mom, and dad and me, I enjoyed the attention and not having to squabble over sharing my things, I enjoyed being solitary (never lonely). There were a bunch of kids in my neighborhood and we played outside together and I have my best friend who I’ve known since she was born (our families were friends. I like to think I didn’t miss out by not having a sibling, but, honestly, I’ll never know.
Now, I am a mom of one brilliant little girl and I have another little munchkin on the way and I am extremely anxious about parenting two kids. I witnessed my friends with siblings growing up and arguing, I watched them lean on each other for support, I watched them rat each other out to their parents, I watched them defend each other fiercely.
Fortunately, with my, line of work I have been able to stay home with her and it has been great and exhausting all at once. And, through the mom friends I’ve made, I am beginning to see all the plus side to having siblings:
1. Friends for life. Your kiddos will be guaranteed a partner in crime, even if they are not very close, they will share the same experience by living in the same house with the same crazy parents and they’ll be able to bond over that and hopefully champion each other through some rough patches. They will also, inevitably play with each other since kids constantly seek companionship and playmates—that means I get a break from playing barbies and tea parties. Yay!
2. Learning from each other. I see it already with our first one, and the second hasn’t even been born yet. She constantly tells me things she wants to teach her little brother and it’s incredibly sweet to watch her develop that sense of responsibility. And the baby will want to copy everything his big sister does, so surely it will get him moving and talking and learning much faster in general.
3. Science says it’s a good thing. Having a sibling improves your health in more ways than one. New studies come out every day, but these are ones I’m going to hang my hat on. Siblings can improve physical health, mental health, and happiness. As I understand it, living with someone, especially an irrational, loud, clumsy, bossy little person can drive you crazy more often than not. But, learning to live with them definitely “builds character.”
Now, I haven’t even started on the journey of parenting siblings and I still have no real idea what to expect, but I’m definitely on board for the sibling love (and rivalry), but please check back in a couple of years to make sure I’m surviving!
I'm a soon-to-be mom of two and I have been writing personally and informally for many years! This year, I decided that I wanted to add freelance writer to my repertoire, so here I am! Hope you enjoy my articles and I'm excited to connect with you all.
WalletHub recently announced the best beach towns to live in for 2019. And if you’re considering a move—what better time than the present?
So which towns topped WalletHub’s list? After comparing 192 cities across 62 key indicators, the website picked these summery cities as the top 10 best ocean beach places to live:
Naples, Florida; Lahaina, Hawaii; Newport Beach,California; Carlsbad, California; Boca Raton, Florida; Sarasota, Florida; North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Encinitas, California; Santa Monica, California; and Venice, Florida.
If lakeside living is more your style, the top 10 lake beach towns are: Traverse City, Michigan; Folsom, California; Cornelius, North Carolina; Holland, Michigan; Kirkland, Washington; Mercer Island, Washington; Davidson, North Carolina; Redmond, Washington; Eden Prairie, Minnesota; and Bay Village, Ohio.
When it comes to specific pluses of each town, Port Lavaca, Texas had the lowest housing costs; Stony Brook, New York had the highest median household income; Wailuku, Hawaii had the lowest median annual property taxes and Key Biscayne, Florida had the lowest violent crime rate.
